Evenepoel Slams ‘Ridiculous’ Team Time Trial: ‘You Couldn’t See a Meter Ahead’
Remco Evenepoel expressed strong criticism of the organization following the team time trial at the Vuelta a España. The race, which took place in heavy rain and falling darkness, was deemed extremely dangerous by the cyclist. ‘Tomorrow, everyone will probably be angry at me for criticizing this, but it’s just very dangerous.’
Evenepoel and his teammates from Soudal-Quick Step performed well despite the challenging conditions, finishing fourth, just six seconds behind DSM-Firmenich. ‘We were extremely cautious in the corners. We are here with ambitions for the overall standings and, of course, we didn’t want to crash. Unfortunately, James Knox had a flat tire. But that’s not the most important thing,’ Evenepoel stated afterward.
‘You all have lights on your cameras, so it’s clearly dark,’ the Belgian began his critique. ‘Can you imagine what it’s like in the peloton, with water in your face? You can’t see a meter ahead, it’s incredibly dangerous. Tomorrow, everyone will probably be angry at me for criticizing this, but it’s simply very dangerous. It’s like driving on the highway in the dark, without headlights, at two hundred kilometers per hour.’
According to Evenepoel, the organizers could have anticipated the conditions. ‘You can hold a team time trial during the day when it’s dry. You can’t change the rain, but you can change other circumstances. We’re pushing the limit because it’s a race; we want to win, and that’s why we take risks. But when it’s so dark, it’s just ridiculous.’