It rides fast on its own and blocks out all outside pressure. Remco Evenepoel can do it as the best and he was rewarded for this on Friday with a World Trial title. “Responded with the pedals,” he said afterwards of rumors of a possible move to INEOS. He must now do so with plain words.
“It’s as if I can’t do anything right,” said Remko Evenpoel after the Road World Championships last Sunday. The next day he repeated the same phrase at an event for his bike sponsor. He was referring to the question about the open clash between Father Patrick and team principal Patrick Lefevre, about a possible departure from Soudal Quick-Step.
“It’s annoying that despite a good period, something negative always has to come up,” says Remko. It’s hard to put something like this in place. It hurts a little bit, but that’s the life I’ve had since the beginning of my career with the pros. I can handle it.’
It was an emotional outpouring for a rider whose pressure slipped like a fried egg out of a Teflon pan. But he still points out that his mental state can take dents, too. Not surprising, because although Evenepoel has become calmer, more mature and more stress-resistant after nearly five professional seasons of many ups and downs, he’s still a young 23-year-old who has to bear the weight and attention of everyone from cycling-loving Belgium. on his shoulders.
How he managed to do this, by reshaping his mentality with psychic sessions, must be commended as much as his extreme physical qualities.
positive energy
Partly for this reason, Remco Evenepoel continues to achieve almost every new goal, from the first victory at the Monument, to the first overall victory in a Grand Tour, to world titles on the road and against the clock. And don’t forget: She’s often the youngest contestant in many decades, or even the youngest contestant ever.
The latter was also the case on Friday after the world championship time trial, when Sahne Chepdaal managed to tick another square in his log by beating two-time world champion Filippo Ganna.
Once again, Evenboul didn’t let his focus get upset, in a song where focus was nonetheless a deciding factor. The somewhat disappointing road race, his bickering father and team manager, the constant questions and rumors about his future at Soudal Quick-Step, his “I can’t do anything right” interviews…
It didn’t have any effect at all. However, Evenboul said in a press conference that he is an “emotional type”. But he can turn those feelings into positive energy. in order to “react with the pedals” on the bushing around his knot.
Hearing a lot of “shit” during the Vuelta
However, the new world champion reacted somewhat annoyed to a journalist’s question about two-time Tour winner Alberto Contador’s statement that Evenpol would drive the Ineos Grenadiers in 2024. “Next question,” he said curtly. To follow up a little later: I hope the rumors go away. If I had to hear the same “shit” every day in the Vuelta, it would be three long weeks.
About the same reaction as the week before the World Road Championships, when he called all conversion rumors “little nonsense”. From the outside, you know more than me. I and my entourage don’t realize it.
Words that contradict father/manager Patrick’s statement the day before the World Cup in an interview with Don’t derniere heure: that he can’t guarantee that his son will race for Patrick Lefevre’s team in 2024, that there are concrete proposals from three teams, and that Soudal Quick-Step must take not one but several steps forward to help Remco win the Tour.
After Lefevere’s subsequent angry reaction, Evenepoel said his team’s manager and his father should remain silent. They should let me do that. I myself know best what is possible and what is not.
Freed from fuss
What the Belgian hero did not do was refute his father’s words. He also stated at the post-world trial press conference that he hoped rumors about his transfer would stop as soon as possible.
However, a smart guy like Evenipole should know that he can stop this “nonsense” himself with one simple message: “I will stay with Soudal Quick-Step and believe in the project that Patrick Lefevre is developing.”
Then he will be spared all the Vuelta’s irritating commotion and reassure his (still anxious) teammates and teammates.
It’s as simple as it makes sense. However, no such explicit and clear statement was made. Then Evenepoel, who knows very well how the world of media and the “radio platoon” works, shouldn’t complain that he finds all the fuss annoying. Especially since his verbal answers fuel persistent rumours, as well as his father’s recorded and unrecorded statements.
Putting pressure on the contract or its termination?
The crucial question is: Why wouldn’t Evenepoel do that? Does he want to effectively fulfill his contract until 2026, but continue to pressure Lefebvre and the team’s sponsors to force a wage increase and/or invest more in the team’s strength, frame and steering?
Is there an effective agreement with Ineos Grenadiers, and will his contract actually expire before or (in this case) after the Vuelta? Or, as Wielerflits.nl already reported during the round, is there a bigger deal in the works: some sort of merger/acquisition between INEOS Grenadiers and Soudal Quick-Step?
In the latter case, we can understand Evenepoel’s ambiguity. In others, to an extent, too, considering the millions and major interests at stake — after all, everything revolves around money in cycling, too.
Then, the all-new time trial world champion will have to grapple with the “ambitious questions” (if he wants to stay with Soudal Quick-Step, but wants to put pressure on Lefevere). Or then (in case he wants to break his contract) he has to take the hole with the bump.
On the other hand, the financial costs and possibly a difficult legal battle of divorce. On the other hand, the indignation of his teammates who would pour out their hearts for him during the Vuelta. And then they will be told that their leader was wolf pack Behind for more money and a better or better team.
Teammates such as Ilan van Wilder, Peter Seeri, Louis Vervaijk, Josef Cerny and Mattia Cattaneo have all scored in recent weeks. Which Patrick Lefevre has repeatedly emphasized fits with the long-term project he is developing (around Evenepoel).
Simple and hard
Conclusion: Either Remco Evenepoel creates real clarity inside and out as quickly as possible, and he, his teammates and all the Soudal Quick-Step entourage can start the Vuelta with a free spirit. Even for the stress-resistant resident of Chipdaal, it can make all the difference in a three-week tour.
Or he has to live with the annoying side effects of ambiguity and not complain about it.
Life can be so simple and so difficult at times.
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