Remco Evenepoel has made a strong first impression in his opening races for Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe. The Belgian enjoyed success in Mallorca and at the Tour of Valencia — and, as Emil Herzog explains, that rubs off on his teammates too, even when it comes to the way other riders treat you in the bunch.
Herzog rode last week’s Tour of Valencia, which was won overall by his team leader Evenepoel. For the 21-year-old German, moving through the peloton felt easier than in previous years.
“When you have a champion like that on your team, you automatically get more respect,” said Herzog. “Everyone knows you’re working for him. No one just rides past you anymore. In a way, it’s easier.”
Emphasis on “in a way”. “But then you’re also the only team doing the work for the peloton. I was usually the guy controlling the start and the first part of the race. By the time the TV images were there, my job was basically already done,” Herzog laughed. The German — junior world champion in Wollongong in 2022 — is considered one of Germany’s biggest cycling talents.
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Remco Evenepoel rode handsomely to victory in Valencia.
Herzog almost snatched a result of his own
Despite all that work for Evenepoel, Herzog nearly managed to take a result for himself on the final day. Instead of riding on the front, the German slipped into the breakaway of the day — and, surprisingly, that move stayed clear all the way to the finish in Valencia.
The 21-year-old ultimately just missed out on the stage win, which went to Raúl García Pierna (Movistar). “I blame myself for not waiting long enough. If I had launched 50 metres later, it might have gone differently.”
Still, Herzog mainly takes positives from the week. “As a team we achieved all our goals. My form is also pretty good. I’m looking forward to the next races,” said the German, who will line up alongside Evenepoel at next week’s UAE Tour.