‘We can’t be overconfident’ – Remco Evenepoel boosted by TT win but still sees rivals in Pogačar, Pidcock and Del Toro for World Championships road race

However, speaking to the media on Friday evening, Evenepoel underlined that he wasn’t going to allow Sunday’s success to cloud his judgement or change his expectations for the road race.

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“The feeling is good. I’m very motivated at the start, but I can’t be too overconfident after the time trial,” he told the Belgian press. “Tadej is the best rider of recent years.

“We had a plan, and that hasn’t changed.”

What that plan is, however, is the big question, with the tough, 268km course for Sunday’s men’s road race offering a very hard to predict situation. Unlike all the other road races, the men’s course includes an extra extended loop and one ascent of Mount Kigali, which many identify as a key point in the race.

With that climb, and the knowledge of Pogačar’s penchant for a long-range attack – last year winning the world title by attacking with 100km to go in Zürich – the Belgian team was being alert and prepared.

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“Last year we hadn’t discussed the scenario with that long attack, and we were a bit surprised,” Evenepoel said.

“We’ll definitely talk about it now, because at that distance [100km to go] is Mount Kigali, a critical point. We have to be alert and stay alert there. We can’t let ourselves be surprised.”

How the 5.9km climb, with gradients averaging 6.8% but measuring much steeper in parts, will play out remains to be seen, and will depend on how the first part of the race goes. With the altitude and heat as factors, many riders could already be dropped at that stage, or it could still be a large group.

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“It depends on the situation. If you’re there with 30 people, it’s a different story than if you’re there with 10 people,” Evenepoel said.

“You reach that climb after four hours of racing. Many riders will already be in trouble there. From that moment on, the fun begins.”

Though Pogačar, the defending champion, has been talked up as a big favourite, with Evenepoel touted as perhaps his main challenger, the Belgian was keen to point out some other challengers.

“Pidcock, Vine and Del Toro will be good,” Evenepoel said. “But ten names can’t win here. I expect less from Carapaz and Bernal, who aren’t really explosive, because it is still a one-day race.”

He also noted the possibility of trade team cooperation, which is officially not allowed, but can still happen. Pogačar counts Vine and Del Toro as his UAE Team Emirates-XRG teammates, as well as others in the road race peloton.

“They’ll definitely lend a hand,” Evenepoel said when asked if he would be racing against just Pogačar or his UAE teammates, too. “They did last year, too.”

Evenepoel will have a strong team of his own as well, though, with the eight-man Belgian squad comprising TT bronze medallist Ilan Van Wilder (also Evenepoel’s long-term trade teammate), Victor Campenaerts, Quinten Hermans, Xandro Meurisse, Cian Uijtdebroeks, Florian Vermeersch and Louis Vervaeke.

“They’re incredibly important to me,” he said of his teammates. “The federation has made sure we can start with eight. Everyone will have their own role.”

Once the race reaches its final circuits, it may well be every man for himself, with Evenepoel noting from the road races so far that a solo winner seems a likely possibility.

The Belgian flashed a trademark smile at the suggestion of achieving double rainbows this week – as he did with gold medals at the Olympic Games last summer – but reaffirmed that it’s impossible to predict what will happen on Sunday.

“A lot can happen, but I still expect a war of attrition and elimination,” he concluded.