After his transfer to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, Remco Evenepoel seems to be flirting more and more with a classic spring. A possible participation in the Tour of Flanders and even a debut in Milan–San Remo have already been discussed. But according to Oliver Naesen, himself a specialist in real Flemish work for many years, Evenepoel must be careful. The ex-rider gives his compatriot firm but sincere advice.
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“Remco should really stay far away from that”
Naesen is clear when Het Nieuwsblad asks him which classics Evenepoel should and should not consider. According to him, Paris–Roubaix is number one… on the list of races to avoid.
“I would definitely stay far away from Paris–Roubaix,” he said. “I am a risk-averse rider and in my career I have fallen maybe eleven times. More than half of those were in Roubaix. Remco is physically stronger, but I am technically better. In any case, he also fell to the ground once in Roubaix.”
“Too risky and almost unwinnable”
Not only Roubaix gets a red flag. Naesen would also prefer not to see Milan–San Remo appear on Evenepoel’s program. “I wouldn’t do San Remo for the same reason,” he continues. “For the Cipressa, near Imperia, we hit the ground every year with forty men at the same time. For me that was ‘accepted risk’, but for someone who has so many goals after the spring…?”
And even if he ignores those risks, the chance of profit remains extremely small, according to Naesen. “Sanremo is so difficult to win. Even Pogacar has not yet succeeded with a perfect lead-out and perfect position on the Poggio.”
Naesen sees one race that fits Evenepoel’s profile perfectly: the Tour of Flanders. “I’m not saying Remco can’t win Sanremo, but the slopes are too short to make a difference,” he explains. “In the Tour of Flanders you can make a difference much earlier than in Sanremo, purely physically and based on ability.”
