Allergies, weight and illness: Lefevere lowers expectations for Evenepoel in the Tour de France

With Remco Evenepoel, Belgian cycling has renewed hope to compete for a podium place in the Tour. However, the leader of Soudal-Quick Step, who will make his debut in the largest cycling race in the world on June 29, has had a difficult preparation. He decided to skip the road race of the Belgian Championship (June 23) on Friday due to illness. According to team boss Patrick Lefevere, Evenepoel was already struggling with his health during the Critérium du Dauphiné.

These are unfavorable omens in the run-up to the Tour de France, where Evenepoel is expected to play a major role in the general classification. In The newspapaer‘s Grand Tour Preview, Lefevere has already tempered expectations. The team boss confirmed that his protégé was repeatedly tested for COVID-19 during the Dauphiné, something that Lidl-Trek leaders Tao Geoghegan Hart and Giulio Ciccone also faced. David Gaudu of Groupama-FDJ also tested positive for COVID-19. Not Evenepoel.

Evenepoel attributed his throat problems to an allergy to pollen and dust mites. Serious consideration was even given to removing carpets from French hotels, with sponsor Unilin offering to quickly install new flooring every day. However, the team doctor expects that medication will be sufficient. Nevertheless, Lefevere acknowledges that allergies could cause problems in the Tour in July. ‘The accommodations in France, well… There are hotels where you shouldn’t look under the bed, otherwise you won’t sleep. If you drop your suitcase, the dust will fly up.’

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Lefevere warns: ‘More irritated than normal’

Another problem for Evenepoel, as with any classification candidate, is weight. “Remco has the disadvantage that you immediately see it in his face. It is only one kilo, but in the mountains it makes a difference,” explains Lefevere, underscoring the importance of low weight to compete with the best on the climbs. “Weight has become so crucial, even in the spring,” the team boss continues with an example. “In April, after the spring classics, we had a major evaluation meeting with all staff. No one dared to say anything, but I had the last word: ‘In my opinion, those riders were too heavy. Is that correct or not?’ Then I heard: ‘Two kilos, two kilos and four kilos.’ See, the old man still notices. Who was it? I won’t say. Sometimes cycling isn’t difficult, of course.

Evenepoel must gain weight for the Tour via a training camp at high altitude, so Soudal-Quick Step remains fully focused on the general classification in the Tour de France. There is no room for a sprinter. “That is the case with classification teams. Nobody takes a sprinter anymore. I talked about it within the team this morning. I understand the logic of focusing entirely on the rankings, but it goes against my nature. If we haven’t won a stage in the first week of the Tour I get irritated. And I’ll say it myself: more irritated than normal,” the flamboyant team boss warns with a wink.