Evenepoel: "France also destroyed its captain."

Remco Evenepoel doesn't hide his disappointment after the World Cup in Montreal: "I wasn't at my best, I realized that right away." Then he took a dig at France: "Maybe with that pace they've destroyed their leader too."

Remco Evenepoel isn't making excuses. At the end of the World Championships in Montreal, the Belgian admitted he hadn't had his best day, explaining how the pace imposed by France made the race extremely tough from the first laps of the final circuit.

Evenepoel came into the road race among the main favourites and with the aim of completing a prestigious world championship double, after having successfully defended the world time trial title a week earlier.

The feelings, however, were negative almost immediately.

"Unfortunately, I wasn't feeling really good today," Evenepoel said. "From the first lap, the pace was incredibly high, and I immediately realized I wasn't feeling my best."

Evenepoel: "France has set a very tough pace."

In the early stages on the Montreal circuit, it was mainly France that took control of the race.

Bruno Armirail worked for a long time at the head of the group for Paul Seixas, imposing a very fast pace and helping to quickly reduce the number of riders still capable of fighting for the title.

A pace that Evenepoel paid for firsthand.

“It was a very tough race because of the pace imposed by France,” explained the Belgian.

Then a consideration destined to provoke discussion:

«Maybe with that pace they even destroyed their captain».

A statement that takes on even more weight considering what happened in the finale. Seixas remained in the race until the decisive stages, before losing ground on the final lap due to cramps.

Evenepoel's difficulties with 60 kilometers to go

Evenepoel's problems became evident around 60 kilometres from the finish.

When the race broke up again on the Voie Camillien-Houde and a group with several favourites formed in front, the Belgian was unable to follow the pace and lost contact with the leaders.

Evenepoel did not give up, however.

He tried to get back into the race several times, managed to get back to the front on several occasions, and continued to look for the right moment to attack.

"On the longer climbs, I always struggled a lot in the final section," he explained. "On the shorter, steeper sections, however, I was still able to push quite well."

The Belgian tried to come up with something anyway.

"I tried a few times, but they'd immediately take my wheel. I can't blame anyone for that."

And again:

«I tried other times, but today it just wasn't going to work.»

Van Aert tries to help Evenepoel

At the most difficult moment of the match, the support of the Belgian national team also arrived.

Wout van Aert helped Evenepoel get back to the front of the race after one of the moments when the Belgian champion had lost contact.

A job that Evenepoel wanted to highlight after the race and which pushed him to continue fighting until the end, despite realizing he wasn't in ideal condition.

"I don't think I'm the type of person who makes excuses," Evenepoel said. "I fought and tried to get as far as I could."

"I kept fighting, especially because of the work the guys had done. I wanted to try to get the best possible result."

Evenepoel rules out physical problems: "I just wasn't strong."

Evenepoel then ruled out any health issues behind his performance.

No particular illness or condition.

“I just wasn’t super,” he explained.

Then, even more clearly:

"I wasn't strong enough."

A bad day that came, among other things, at the most inopportune time.

Evenepoel said he felt very good throughout the week leading up to the race.

«I had had good feelings all week, so it's a shame that the bad day came today.»

Finally, a bitter but extremely lucid consideration:

"If we could choose the days, everything would be easier."

Evenepoel is therefore left with the disappointment of a World Championship where he never managed to perform at the level he had hoped for. After his triumph in the time trial, the Belgian was aiming for a double, but the frenetic pace imposed by France and his less than perfect condition completely changed the outcome of the race.