Evenepoel was “comfortable during the whole stage”
The Belgian world champion had to give up the pink jersey at the end of…
Evenepoel was “comfortable during the whole stage”
The Belgian world champion had to give up the pink jersey at the end of the fourth stage of the Tour of Italy on Tuesday. He confided in his day.
Remco Evenepoel said he was happy to be able to wear the rainbow jersey of world champion again on the Tour of Italy after giving up the Giro leader’s pink on Tuesday at the end of the fourth stage.
“I’m not sad not to wear the pink jersey anymore. Wednesday I’m going to wear the rainbow jersey and it suits me more than well“Commented the Belgian reigning world champion, who is now in second place overall, 28 seconds behind Norwegian Andreas Leknessund.
Read alsoCycling: Evenepoel, the charm of life in pink
“I’m only twenty/thirty seconds in the standings, so everything is fine. Today the stage was difficult, very nervous and at high speed, especially in the first part. But the team did a solid job and I was comfortable the whole stage.added the 23-year-old Flemish.
A jersey to recover
In recent days, Evenepoel, in pink from day one prologuehad repeated several times that he intended to let go of the leader’s jersey during this fourth stage favorable to breakaways so as not to have to control the race with his Soudal-Quick Step team.
But he obviously intends to recover it later in the event and win his first Giro on Sunday May 28 in Rome.
Another distinctive jersey wearer, Frenchman Thibaut Pinot, managed to keep his blue best climber’s tunic after taking the lead in the first big difficulty of the day between Venosa and Lago Laceno.
“The race circumstances allowed me to grab the points in the first climb listed. As long as it doesn’t cost me too much effort, I continue“, he underlined.
The Groupama-FDJ climber says he is not making the blue jersey an objective and is instead aiming for a stage victory and a Top 5 in the general clification. He moved up to 20th place on Tuesday, 2:33 behind the leader, after a “very nice stepwon by his compatriot Aurélien Paret-Peintre.
“It was going very fast, we had to be good today. For the breakaway to leave, it took almost two hours. The last ascent was climbed at a good pace and in the group of favorites we find those who will play the general, a good fortnightof runners, of which he intends to be a part.
