Paris-Nice

Remco Evenepoel passed the first real test of this year’s “Race to the Sun”, which consisted of a hard up-and-down stage comprising seven classified climbs that came twenty-four hours after the demanding team time trial in Auxerre.

The day was a slow-burner until the penultimate ascent, a first-category one where the race exploded. Attacks came thick and fast, and the combination of big accelerations and steep gradients reducing the peloton to around twenty riders by the time the top was crested. Evenepoel had Ilan Van Wilder with him, and the Tre Valli Varesine winner quickly assumed pace-setting duties at the front of the depleted bunch, trying to claw back time.

Once his job was done, Remco decided to attack on the 3km-long Mont Brouilly – which returned at the race after seven years – further cutting the gap of Santiago Buitrago (Bahrain Victorious), who took the win. A searing acceleration helped the Belgian Champion gain time on all his opponents before concluding fourth, a strong result that came in addition to the important bonus seconds he scored in Durette, at the day’s sole intermediate sprint.

“I felt good today, and I’m happy with this and with the solid job the squad did today. Ilan was very strong, doing a long pull in the final kilometers, while the other guys helped me stay all the time in a good position”, explained Evenepoel who is fourth overall, 30 seconds behind the yellow jersey. “I’m happy I could take some time on the others today. It won’t be easy in the weekend, but we’ll continue to try and see what we can do.”

Photo credit: ©Alex Broadway / Getty Images