Belgian caps off a memorable week by taking the 30th victory in the pro ranks.
Remco Evenepoel sealed the ninth overall GC triumph of his career – an astonishing feat for the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl rider, who is in just his fourth World Tour season – after finishing safely in the peloton the sixth and final stage of the Tour of Norway, a competition he stomped his authority on since day one.
Three stage victories in Voss, Gaustatoppen and Sandnes and the youth classification rounded out a perfect week for the Liège–Bastogne–Liège champion, who pinned on a number in Norway for the first time since becoming a Monument winner last month. In addition to the 22-year-old, another Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl youngster showed himself in the Scandinavian race – Ethan Vernon, who took two runner-up places which served as confirmation of his potential in the bunch sprints.
For Evenepoel – who produced a flawless ride here – the Tour of Norway was the eighth victory since the start of the year, which sees the Belgian tie teammate Fabio Jakobsen at the top of the leaderboard for most wins this season. It was also his 30th success in the pro ranks, another impressive milestone for the Belgian who never ceases to amaze.
“Overall, it was a very good week for the team. We can be proud of ourselves, of the way we rode, of the Wolfpack spirit we put on display every single time and of how we always believed in ourselves. It was my first race since Liège–Bastogne–Liège, so I didn’t know how I would fare, but I returned at a high level, which is encouraging as we kick off the second part of the season and my road to the Vuelta a España”, a confident Remco – who also finished as the race’s best young rider – said after becoming the first Belgian winner of the Tour of Norway.
Photo credit: ©Kjetil Birkedal Pedersen
