Remco Evenpoel is gearing up for a big season in his profession during which he’ll make his debut on the Tour de France, and the Belgian is at present engaged on tuning each superb element earlier than his season begins in Portugal on February 10.
The reigning time trial world champion is aware of that maximising his benefit in opposition to the watch will probably be pivotal to his prospects in opposition to two-time Tour winners Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Group Emirates) in July.
Time trials will probably be vital at this yr’s Tour with a flat and quick TT on stage 7 adopted by a brutal, hilly race in opposition to the clock on the ultimate stage from Monaco to Good.
It’s the primary time that the Tour will end with a time trial since 1989 Tour, when Greg LeMond snatched victory from Laurent Fignon in Paris.
Evenepoel visited the wind tunnel at Milan’s Politecnico college on Monday with technical employees from his crew Soudal-QuickStep and their clothes supplier Castelli to fine-tune particulars forward of the European season.
Soudal Fast-Step stated the world champion’s main focus whereas there was to “take a look at completely different attire choices, together with skinsuits and shoe covers, and a few helmet choices for each street and time trial use.”
As a consequence of his uber-aggressive place and talent to chop by means of the wind with such a small profile, Evenepoel requires precise, customized necessities to his setup to make sure the utmost efficiency is extracted.
“Remco is a novel problem as a result of his place is so compact and aerodynamic that a lot of the options that work for different riders don’t give the identical end result with Remco,” stated Castelli’s race division supervisor, Alvin Nordell.
“We’re on the stage the place the highest riders want custom-made options. Fortuitously, Remco has all the time acknowledged the significance of this work and dedicates a variety of time to testing and enhancing.”
Evenepoel gained three particular person time trials in 2023, claiming two on the Giro d’Italia earlier than he deserted as a consequence of COVID-19 after which profitable the world title in Scotland.
At his excessive requirements, he’ll wish to enhance on that in 2024 forward of the Tour, with possible shut rivals Vingegaard, Pogačar and Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) all greater than succesful in opposition to the clock. Roglič is the Olympic champion within the self-discipline and the Vingegaard gained the one time trial on the 2023 Tour by greater than 1:30.
“The time that we spend within the wind tunnel and the information that we obtain from it are invaluable. When racing in time trials on the stage during which Remco does, the superb margins could make an enormous distinction,” stated Soudal Fast-Step Head Coach Koen Pelgrim.
“Within the managed setting of the wind tunnel, we are able to see the variations that completely different supplies will make, whereas on the identical time seeing how they might work together with completely different positions on the bike.
“Remco has an amazing place on the bike, and Castelli already produces a wonderful TT swimsuit, so slightly than seeking to make huge modifications, we try to fine-tune the setup that we’ve.”
Evenepoel’s different key objective for the yr will arrive in the identical month – July – on the Paris Olympics time trial. It will likely be a busy time for the younger man as he targets a gold Medal simply after finishing his first Tour de France, however he appears very happy to pile the strain onto himself.
“The Tour de France and the Olympic Video games in the identical month are two of probably the most well-known sports activities competitions in the entire world. [July] will probably be a really thrilling month particular month,” stated Evenepoel finally week’s Soudal-QuickStep crew presentation.
“All the things is targeted on that month … the place I’ve to carry out on the highest stage that I’ve ever achieved.”
After his season debut at subsequent month’s Figuera Traditional, the Belgian Champion’s pre-Tour schedule appears to be like like this: Paris-Good, Itzulia Basque Nation, Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Critérium du Dauphiné.
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