WETZIKON (Switzerland) – To understand how much those two do not love each other or in any case have smelled each other's blood, just start from the answer that Evenepoel gave to wicked joke with which Pogacar closed his press conference last nightAsked about his Belgian rival, the Slovenian had praised his skills and composure in the time trial. But then, almost as if he wanted to keep him at a distance, he said that the road race will be something else.He had spoken of "a different game".
They definitely told Remco. And just as Pogacar's response seemed intended for use, the Belgian's comment is also subtle.Ironic and seemingly lighthearted: yet knowing him, she took it to heart. Here's what the Belgian had to say this morning, as he gathered journalists at his hotel before heading out to training.
"It will truly be a different game," he said, "with a different bike, and therefore a different race. There will also be more cyclists. You are not alone, so it's a different game entirely.I mean, we all know what a bike race is, so it's nothing new."
Then he turned to his companions, with a chuckle that spoke louder than any other word. Without Van Aert, who would have covered his back, Belgium will be entirely devoted to his cause.To win a World Cup, you need strong and determined people. To win it against Pogacar, everything has to be squared.
What did you learn from watching the junior race yesterday?
Anything. We watched their race, but I think it can't be compared to ours.The group exploded even before the local crash, and it was raining on top of that. We'll have dry conditions, so there's not much in common. I think it's more important to watch today's under 23 raceIn any case, we haven't had the technical meeting yet, so I don't know how we'll run.
What kind of race would you like?
If I am to believe the newspapers, there are two big favoritesSo I think their teams should try to take control of the race. But it depends on how the race develops once they enter the circuit. It's always special to compete in the world championship, so We will have to evaluate lap by lap and make sure we are able and open to deal with multi-race situations..
After your triumphant season, are you arriving here more relaxed than usual?
I think I'm always quite relaxed, but the mentality remains the same. I want to aim for the best and I give 100% of myself, as I always do.And if a victory comes, then it will have been a super good day. Otherwise, if it doesn't happen... that's life. I think you should always try to motivate yourself, no matter the situation. So it's pretty clear that I'm relaxed, but still very motivated for the last two, three weeks of the season.Here we'll be facing a tough course, with lots of changes in pace and climbs, so it'll be a long and tough race. But perhaps a little less so than expected; at least we thought the road section would be more challenging...
You trained in Spain with Van der Poel. How would you assess his climbing condition, looking at this route?
The last training we did together wasn't very good for him (laughs, ed.). I think he's improved a lot. Tour of Luxembourg. He's a rider who knows how to get into shape at the right time. In the end, three weeks will have passed between that training session and Sunday's race, so I'm pretty confident he'll be in good shape. It's also clear that Mathieu is a bit heavier than me and Tadej, so he'll have to lift that weight every single lap.This might cost him a bit of energy in the final stages. But he's a world-class rider, so you can never give it up for dead until it's really over.
Do you think he lost motivation after that training session with you in Spain?
No, it's almost impossible. He is always very motivated and knows how to recharge his batteries after a difficult period.. So I think it will be ready.
Can you imagine that you will somehow be allies in defeating Pogacar, even just because you speak Dutch?
No, I think it's pretty simple to understand. I'm here with the Belgian national team, not with Holland. I will never be their ally.We have our plan and we have to try to race in the best way for me and not for Mathieu. We won't make agreements with other nations.
Remco, would you like to find yourself alone with Pogacar on Sunday with 5 kilometers to go?
If there are no other options, I don't think I would have a choice. I know Tadej is a very fast rider, he has an excellent sprint. Obviously it's a 280km race, so the sprint might be a little differentBut if that were the situation, then I'd accept it and try to sprint to win. The finish isn't particularly tough, those 5 kilometers are fast, but after such a long race they'll be just as demanding.
Would you be willing to work with him until the very end, since he's so fast?
If we're talking about a sprint in a stage race, where other interests are also at stake, then perhaps the outcome of a two-man sprint would already be fairly certain. But in the World Championships, things are different. There is something to be achieved at the finish line, so I think it would be my right not to push any harder in the last few kilometers.Tadej has shown a couple of times that he's the faster of the two of us, so we'll see. And I also hope that there is no group behind us that can catch up (smiles, ed.) Tadej found himself in that situation once at the Flanders Championships, and it didn't go well. If you're heading towards the World Championships, you want to win. But obviously, the others have medals to win too. I hope I don't find myself in the same situation.
Is it easy to adapt to a situation like this, for you who usually push straight to the end?
No, I think I already have it learned mostly at the Tour, where I had to run in a more defensive mode. I think the Tour really taught me to ride with greater maturity., let's say, and also think a little more. So I think that if the situation is like this on Sunday, I won't find myself facing anything new.
Do you feel any added pressure, given that you're on the verge of achieving your second double, after the Olympic one?
No, it's just something that drives me. It would be crazy to do it and it's always easier to talk about it than to rush to do it.So we'll have to see how it goes. Of course, now that I've got three out of four, I'm a little closer than I am far. We'll try and we'll see.
In recent years, Belgium has achieved many successes, thanks to its great riders, but also to coach Vanthourenhout. What do you think is his best quality as a national team coach?
I think Sven is really good at creating a professional relationship between new riders who make it into the national team. He's also quite relaxed and young, and that helps. He knows cycling a little better than the older technicians, he understands certain situations well and this is very positive for the group.Of course, it's always easier to work with a strong group, with strong leaders: strong national teams and strong riders. But obviously, you also have to be able to handle pressureAnd I think he did it very well. Whoever replaces Sven will certainly have a difficult task.
If you had to nominate three riders for the podium, who would you name?
I will not do that. It's a world championship, there are always surprisesWho could it be? I'll name a few: Victor Campenaerts...
The national team mate She looks up from where she's been staring for a while, turns to him, and smiles.Everyone's laughing. Just enough time for the TV interviews, and then they'll head out to ride the course. The feeling is growing that we're about to witness a World Championship of rare intensity.
