Incredible. Unthinkable. Unpredictable. Historic. And who would have ever said that Tadej pogacar was caught and detached in a time trial? Because that's what he did Remco EvenepoelSomething that goes beyond the best fantasy script. And this almost ends up overshadowing the news that the Belgian has won his third world time trial title.
A shock for cycling, a huge joy for Remco. A slap in the face for Tadej. The day of the elite time trials ends with this shock. Something so sensational that memories go back to Merckx's crisis on the Tre Cime di Lavaredo in 1968. Or to Indurain being dropped by Pantani on the Mortirolo in 1994. Things that happen every 30 years, after all. Who knows, perhaps this moment will be remembered as the “overtaking of Kigali”.
In the morning it was Switzerland Marlene Reusser to win the title. A triumph that means a lot to the Swiss, given that she had often been the favorite and then failed.
Veil: speechless
And to think that Pogacar started with great determination. He left the stadium with a couple of corners taken to the limit, while Remco was much more cautious. But at the first intermediate point, after 8,3 kilometers, the Kigali time trial was effectively overThe Slovenian is 45 seconds behind the Belgian. The time trial is over, yes, but from here on out, we can only imagine a move ahead. Marco Velo, currently the coach of the women's national team but the Italian time trial coach until 2024, comments:
"Honestly," Velo begins, "I thought Remco was fine and could fight for the win. And doing so with a 20-30 second lead on Pogacar would have been no small feat, but like this..." Velo pauses for a moment. "I'm speechless. What Evenepoel did is phenomenal. Exceptional would be an understatement.
«Pogacar – continues Velo – Maybe he wasn't at his best today. He wasn't the one he started with. Tour de France. He was also strong in Canada, but after the sprint he would sit down and not continue the action with the gear. And of course, things are changing now, especially in view of Sunday."
A performance that upsets the expected balance of power for the road race. But we'll talk about that later. "Now Pogacar and his staff will analyze the race. Maybe he didn't have the best feeling right away and decided not to push hard, but only he knows these things."
Complicated path
Velo followed from the car first Soraya Paladin, then Matteo Sobrero and reiterates the difficulty of the route and the technical difficulty in interpreting it. It was a course for time trialists, therefore for specialists, but it required a lot of energy.
"Even the technical choices," Velo continues, "were not easy. We had to both manage ourselves and push hard. After the first intermediate, like many here, I also thought that Remco had started too fast and instead… It was tough because you had to push hard and recover in the short time on the descents, which were fast but required pedaling. Choosing the right gears was also important."
And here Velo makes a total analysis, especially when we point out to him that among the first five there are two Soudal-Quick Step and three UAE Team Emirates. Seeing Van Wilder on the podium says a lot about the technical-tactical interpretation of the time trial. Of course he's good, but who would have expected him to be so high? On the other hand, men UAE, always crushing against time, they appeared “hard” in their cadence.
"In UAE "Everyone always goes flat out in time trials," says Velo, "and it's not surprising to see them so far ahead. As for gearing, I noticed that many, even women, had single chainrings, but in my opinion, that wasn't the right way to use it. Okay, there was a cobblestone sprint at the end, but you shifted before the bumpy section, and then with such large jumps in the rear gears, it was easy to get stuck (or not find the gear, ed.). It's one thing to test when you're fresh, and another to get to the wall after 40 or 50 kilometers. As a former time trialist, I would never have mounted a single chainring on a similar course.».
Casa Italia
In Kigali, Velo says, it's nice: 26 degrees, just the right humidity, and, we might add, a good crowd. While Remco is enjoying his title and perhaps even more his performance, which has a taste of revenge after Peyragudes when at Jonas Vingegaard overtook him, there is room for a thought about ours too.
«In the end, the boys and girls – explains Velo – did the time trial that was expected. Yes, maybe a top 10 was expected from men but we are thereWe can't say they're doing badly. And the same goes for the girls. Paladin was returning from a broken collarbone, and we couldn't ask for much more. Her effort was especially useful in view of the mixed relay and Sunday's race in support of Elisa Longo Borghini. Monica Trinca Colonel Instead, she started off a bit slow, then said she was feeling better. You have to consider that our girls aren't all that used to time trials of this level and length. These are experiences that are useful."
Tadej's doubts
The Belgian anthem is played in Kigali, but what really resonates is the overtaking by Pogacar. A blow like that changes everything and inevitably the thought slips to the online test.
"Pogacar is a champion, and he may have already gotten over this setback," says Velo, "but it's undoubtedly a bit unsettling. And it's unsettling because he wasn't beaten by a specialist who has nothing to do with road racing, but by one of his most credible rivals who now becomes an even greater favorite. Someone doing a time trial like that isn't feeling well: he's at full speed, and on these climbs, a Pogacar like this just can't keep up. Maybe on Sunday he'll prove me wrong... but that's the feeling. Let's say Tadej took a bit of a beating. But one thing is certain, they can't leave him even 30 seconds, otherwise we risk a repeat of Australia with Remco running away and winning the title."
It cannot be said that Pogacar will remember his twenty-seventh birthday in the best way. But it's also true that the last time he took a beating, albeit a much smaller one like in the Dauphiné this summer, he then retaliated with unprecedented ferocity. In short, woe betide anyone who provokes the wounded beast. But we'll find out as we go. For now, all credit goes to the monstrous Remco Evenepoel.
