According to his mother, Remco Evenepoel will not set foot on Italian roads again if this Giro turns out badly for him.
After a difficult day at the finish in Fossombrone, Remco Evenepoel hopes to catch up with his rivals this Sunday during the 9th stage of the Tour of Italy, a 35 kilometer time trial towards Cesena.
First wearer of the pink jersey, the Belgian is on a mission on this Giro. Winner of the Vuelta last year, the world champion has made this Tour of Italy the main objective of his season, for which he has prepared very hard, by chaining training courses at altitude. “When we said goodbye a few weeks ago, tells his mother to Laatste Nieuws, I said this to Remco: ‘You worked hard for this, now let everything come to you, take things to heart. day by day. And above all: enjoy!’ »
Ms. Evenepoel, however, displays a certain concern. ” Because Italy… it always gives him a double feeling… Remco swore to me: ‘Mom, if it doesn’t end well at the Giro, I will never race in Italy again’. »
Lombardy, a terrible memory
It is true that Remco Evenepoel’s career could have changed on Italian roads. At the end of 2020, the Belgian prodigy had suffered a terrible fall on the Tour of Lombardy, falling from a bridge in the descent of Sormano. Absent for many months, the leader of the Quick-Step resumed competition during the Giro 2021, where he was forced to retire.
This year, the Tour of Italy had started well for Evenepoel, with a victory in the inaugural time trial and three days with the pink jersey. What followed was more difficult, with two falls during the 5th stage, a controversy following his use of a helicopter at the finish of the 7th stage, and time lost on Primoz Roglic on Saturday. However, there are still two weeks of racing where anything can happen. The best, as the Belgian has experienced a lot in recent months, or the worst, if the Italian curse is real…
