Tour of Spain – Julian Alaphilippe and Remco Evenepoel on the Vuelta, a double thrilling attraction

None of that at Quick-Step. At the start of the Tour de France, it is fashionable to line up its headliners, standing of the event and pressure from the sponsor oblige. But this year, the formation of Patrick Lefevere did not present its most flashy face, for the Grande Boucle. This did not prevent her from shining there, thunderous start to the key. A few bad tongues cut later, she is preparing to rely on her stars, Julian Alaphilippe and Remco Evenepoel, during the Tour of Spain (August 19-September 11).

The two runners are in very different perspectives. Alaphilippe missed his national tour due to a serious crash during Liège-Bastogne-Liège, which drastically disrupted his preparation. Evenepoel (22), meanwhile, was not considered for July high mass. The ability of the Belgian prodigy to capitalize on his talent for three weeks arouses many fantasies, and starting to materialize them in Spain rather than France seems very logical. Even cautious.

“I don’t pay him for that”

For the reigning double world champion, whose return to competition has been (decidedly) thwarted by the Covid-19, the Vuelta could look like a springboard to a rainbow treble. Tour de France 2021 style. In the Belgian daily newspaper From MorganLefevere warned this weekend: “I hope he [Alaphilippe] will not repeat his Tour of last year. He had run according to the Worlds. You can do this once… but I don’t pay him for it“To each his own.

“OK, he had a lot of problems, it’s not an easy season for him, but for me neither.“, continues the general manager of one of the armadas of the peloton. A little pressure of which he is customary and which is to be put into perspective. Even when “Alaph” multiplies the efforts, sometimes in vain – like those produced by the last week during the Tour de l’Ain – it is at least a show vector, and he also manages to win. The first stage of the Tour, last year, illustrated this magnificently.

Evenepoel winner of the Vuelta? “He can do it”

We can thus imagine that Alaphilippe will embrace this role of will-o’-the-wisp, which suits him so well, on the Iberian roads, where his famous punch is likely to wreak havoc. In 2017, during his only participation in the event, he won a bouquet. Eyeing another victory is a legitimate objective for him, keeping in mind the ambitions in the general classification of Evenepoel. “I hope he wins, he can do it“, assures the Frenchman, as reported by The evening.

The duo made their mark at the start of the year, during the Tour of the Basque Country, where Evenepoel ended up giving up. Since then, the Belgian pedal crusher has triumphed over the Doyenne in Liège, with style, and crushed the Clasica San Sebastian, of which he is already a double winner. But in stage races, he also showed some limitations (11th in the Tour de Suisse). His second Grand Tour promises to be exciting. Especially since the first didn’t have much to reveal.

A first (real) test in the Grand Tour

In 2021, Remco Evenepoel resumed competition with the Giro. Nine months after a terrible fall during the Tour of Lombardy. So, seeing him give up on the morning of the 18th stage was nothing surprising. This time, he approaches the Tour of Spain with a consistent rise in power. Ready to answer questions about him, in very high mountains, or about his ability to recover, over twenty-one games. This soap opera alone is enticing.

Add to that the attacking temperament that Julian Alaphilippe and Remco Evenepoel have in common, and you get a most attractive tandem. From Friday in Utrecht, the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl formation will be expected at the top of the bill, during the team time trial which will launch hostilities, over 23.3 kilometers. During the Tour, she had thwarted the forecasts by taking a fiery start. After the time of mouths to close, here is that of promises to keep.