Remco Evenpoel is gearing up for a big season in his profession by which he’ll make his debut on the Tour de France, and the Belgian is presently engaged on tuning each high quality element earlier than his season begins in Portugal on February 10.
The reigning time trial world champion is aware of that maximising his benefit towards the watch can be pivotal to his prospects towards two-time Tour winners Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Crew Emirates) in July.
Time trials can be important at this yr’s Tour with a flat and quick TT on stage 7 adopted by a brutal, hilly race towards 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 mentioned the world champion’s major focus whereas there was to “check totally different attire choices, together with skinsuits and shoe covers, and a few helmet choices for each highway and time trial use.”
As a consequence of his uber-aggressive place and skill to chop by the wind with such a small profile, Evenepoel requires actual, 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 outcome with Remco,” mentioned Castelli’s race division supervisor, Alvin Nordell.
“We’re on the stage the place the highest riders want personalized options. Thankfully, Remco has all the time acknowledged the significance of this work and dedicates a variety of time to testing and enhancing.”
Evenepoel received 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 successful the world title in Scotland.
At his excessive requirements, he’ll need to enhance on that in 2024 forward of the Tour, with probably shut rivals Vingegaard, Pogačar and Primož Roglič (Bora-Hansgrohe) all greater than succesful towards the clock. Roglič is the Olympic champion within the self-discipline and the Vingegaard received 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 by which Remco does, the high quality margins could make an enormous distinction,” mentioned Soudal Fast-Step Head Coach Koen Pelgrim.
“Within the managed surroundings of the wind tunnel, we are able to see the variations that totally different supplies will make, whereas on the similar time seeing how they might work together with totally different positions on the bike.
“Remco has a terrific place on the bike, and Castelli already produces a wonderful TT swimsuit, so relatively than seeking to make large modifications, we try to fine-tune the setup that we now have.”
Evenepoel’s different key purpose for the yr will arrive in the identical month – July – on the Paris Olympics time trial. Will probably 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 more than pleased to pile the stress 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] can be a really thrilling month particular month,” mentioned Evenepoel finally week’s Soudal-QuickStep crew presentation.
“The whole lot is concentrated 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.