Tour de Romandie

Remco Evenepoel concluded the Tour de Romandie by taking his 18th career win in the individual time trial, a result that elevated him four places on the general classification of the World Tour race, where this year he returned for the first time since 2019, his neo-pro season.

The 25-year-old started the day in ninth place overall, but produced another impressive ride that saw him go fastest through the intermediate checkpoint before setting the best time also at the finish – 20:33, thanks to an average speed close to 50km/h. Victorious in Genève, Evenepoel moved up to fifth on the general classification and became the first reigning World ITT Champion since Tony Martin, in 2013, to win a stage against the clock at the Tour de Romandie.

“I’m happy with this win. We were lucky with the weather, as we didn’t have the rain that was initially predicted. The first four kilometers of the race were rather technical, then everything was pretty straightforward until the finish line. I am delighted with my performance, and especially with the feeling I had in my shoulder, in the corners and on the straight lines.”

“I can look back on these last couple of weeks with satisfaction. I took two wins since returning to competition and found the rhythm again. Not everything went as I had wanted and hoped in some of the races, but it’s only normal after so much time off the bike. I will now recover a bit and then continue my preparations for the summer”, said Remco after his 55th success in the Soudal Quick-Step jersey.

The double Olympic Champion was joined in the top ten of the Tour de Romandie by teammate Junior Lecerf, who finished the Swiss race in a solid eighth place, the same result he got earlier this season in another World Tour event, the UAE Tour.

Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images