At the start of the Il Lombardia, Remco Evenepoel only wanted to talk about the race itself, even when the Belgian media asked him various questions about his future. “It’s a race, and I’m especially happy about that,” said the World Time Trial champion.
The turmoil surrounding the merger seems not to have disrupted Evenepoel’s preparation. “It didn’t cross my mind, and I managed to focus on my preparation easily. So, it wasn’t difficult to stay focused. I made Lombardia a goal and worked hard for two weeks. Normally, I should be ready for it.”
Decision on the future will come next week
“I spent a lot of time on the motorcycle wheel with my dad. I managed to relax for many moments. But today, we want to win. Not necessarily me, but the whole team. We have many guys in good form. Ilan Van Wilder and Andrea Bagioli won this week. We’ll show that our solidarity is stronger than ever.”
Evenepoel remained undecided about his future, despite all the speculation surrounding Soudal Quick-Step, Jumbo-Visma, and even the INEOS Grenadiers. “Now I’m first focusing on the race, you’ll see the rest next week.”