Despite making it clear that he was here to try and win, Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe) said that third in the Tour of Flanders was “a result that we were hoping for and dreaming of” as he confirmed he will return to chase bigger success.
The Belgian, making a much talked-up debut, followed the initial selection when Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Mathieu van der Poel (Alpecin-Premier Tech) pushed the pace over the second Oude Kwaremont, but was subsequently distanced on the Paterberg.
The world time trial champion then valiantly chased on his own behind the leaders, keeping them agonisingly close for a long time, but every time he got near, Pogačar seemed to push the pace again, and Evenepoel could never quite come back.
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Evenepoel still held off the rest of the field, including Wout van Aert (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Mads Pedersen (Lidl-Trek). Despite his bullish words and big ambitions pre-race, Evenepoel was clearly happy with a podium in his debut – perhaps one of the few times he’ll be happy with third.
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