After blazing by the primary three intermediate time checks with the quickest time on stage 7 of the Tour de France, for a couple of seconds, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) thought that dangerous luck within the closing kilometres would derail his maiden stage victory.
The World time trial Champion began off quick, following his plan of retaining one thing again for the climb up the Côte de Curtil-Vergy (1.6km at 6.1%), which got here within the closing half of the 25.3km stage.
In the ultimate kilometres, surrounded by cheers from the followers on the aspect of the highway, Evenepoel lifted his proper hand after which bounced his bike a couple of occasions to check his tyres.
“I used to be fairly positive I had a puncture, really, however I believe perhaps any person dropped a glass on of the general public or hit the fence. I do not know and it was precisely the identical sound, like a puncture so I used to be a bit scared,” he mentioned, even admitting that he thought it might have been over.
“Honestly sure,” mentioned Evenepoel requested if he thought the dream was gone. “It was a transparent sound, that was precisely the identical sound as a fast puncture, an explosion of the tyre. So I believed I used to be accomplished.”
But a couple of hundred metres later, the Belgian surmised that there was fortunately nothing fallacious and he had misheard one thing from the big crowds.
“After 200 metres I wasn’t on my rim, so began to grasp it was a noise from the general public alongside the highway, maybe any person dropped a glass,” mentioned the Belgian.
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“It was only a second of distraction that usually by no means occurs to me. So I used to be in shock a bit. It took me out of my rhythm, so price me three or 4 seconds within the outcome. I wasn’t too positive anymore within the final corners however ultimately, I simply needed to take dangers. Luckily it didn’t price me the stage victory.”
Though the incident did price him these few seconds, Evenepoel clocked the quickest time to assert the victory and lowered his deficit to 33 seconds within the basic classification to race chief Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates).
“In the top, victory with about 13 seconds is superb,” Evenepoel mentioned. “Tadej may also do excellent TT, particularly in Grand Tours so it was a detailed one. But in fact, I simply wished to win in the present day and that is completed. So very proud.”
The Belgian admits that he was not considering of the general time gaps through the Race of Truth, only a first stage win at biking’s greatest race.
“We simply wish to take a stage win that’s accomplished. So excellent day for me and my crew, took a while on the others so mission completed and now we’ve got to deal with tomorrow and on Sunday, in fact,” mentioned Evenepoel.
The purpose now could be to deal with the general podium and benefit from any alternatives that will come up with much more racing to go earlier than the second time trial finale in Nice.
“Tadej goes to be fairly unreachable, nevertheless it’s racing. We by no means know what occurs, however I believe the extra within the race and the higher I’ll really feel we’ll focus extra on the rostrum, most likely,” he added. “And we simply must go for it as a result of I believe I’ve the legs for it. So we simply must hold going and luxuriate in this Tour de France.”
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