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The 4 lessons that Remco Evenepoel learned in the Giro: “Sometimes listen to healthy common sense” | Giro

You can learn from every setback. Remco Evenepoel’s Giro did not run as he had imagined it, but it does form a basis for the future. 4 wise lessons that the rider learned during his first big round, with an explanation from our “wise” José De Cauwer.

Lesson 1: ‘Also listen to the old wisdom’

Immediately at the start of a tough stage race without a race rhythm. Many already questioned it beforehand, which turned out to be correct.

“To measure is to know, they like to say nowadays”, José De Cauwer grins. “Due to a wealth of data, teams should be able to estimate their riders perfectly. But apparently they hadn’t seen this coming at Deceuninck-Quick Step.”

“It proves that the old wisdom is not completely gone. My father of 100 years – still obsessed with the race – said beforehand:” How is that possible? That boy has not raced for 9 months and is going to ride the Tour of Italy. “That is pure logic. Common common sense.”

“Everything that is happening now can actually be traced back to those 9 months of inactivity.”

Lesson 2: ‘Dare to get lost in the race’

It doesn’t seem that long ago. Barely 10 days ago, Remco Evenepoel sprinted for one bonus second against Egan Bernal, dreaming of the pink jersey. The attention for the youngster reached its peak – although the hard work was still to come then …

“That sprint against Bernal is great for cycling, but you also have to be careful with it,” warns De Cauwer. “Such things are magnified these days, which puts the pressure on yourself even more. Sometimes it is better to hide in a big round.”

“Only on the line you can put your arms in the air. When you finally finish on the podium in the Giro it is all fantastic, but now the opposite appears to be the case.”

Evenepoel frolicking with Bernal after the much-discussed intermediate sprint.

Lesson 3: ‘Work on your helmsman’s skills’

The most frequently asked question in recent days: are the steering skills of Remco Evenepoel a problem? De Cauwer nods: “It has been a theme for some time. Even during his first stage race, the Tour of Argentina, I already wondered when he once stumbled into a fan.”

“Well, you can’t blame him for that. Remco never really learned to race, because he was always in front. I think the fall of Wednesday could also be avoided. So it is something that Remco has to work on in the future.”

“This week I spoke with a former mechanic. He suggested that Remco should ride on the track behind a derny. And even finish a team race. With Iljo Keisse he has the ideal ally for it. Pistiers are the best drivers. of the pack. “

A depressed Evenepoel, yesterday after its fall.

Lesson 4: ‘Nothing wrong with sometimes fine-tuning your ambitions’

It adorns him, but at the same time it is a pitfall: Evenepoel’s boundless ambition. On the first day of rest, tell out loud that he believes in the overall victory, while he could just as well have completely played the role of underdog.

Team mate Iljo Keisse told it this morning before the start: “Remco sometimes has to fine-tune his ambitions. A grand tour is something different than the Tour of Belgium or Poland.”

“Remco and Deceuninck-Quick Step have run into themselves a bit”, De Cauwer says. “A kind of Vedettism had emerged, which meant that there was little in the way of Remco.”

There is not a single rider who has not experienced any setbacks in his career.

José De Cauwer

“In itself that is not surprising. Remco has defied every logic in recent years. While many advised him to ride with the U21s for a year, he immediately switched to the pros. And he proved himself right by winning everything.”

“But everyone knew that there would ever be a lesser moment. There is not a single rider who has not experienced any setbacks in his career. Now for Remco that all comes at once. If Deceuninck-Quick Step had known everything it knows now … Then they would have treated Remco differently, I think. But this Giro will undoubtedly help him in the future. “

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