Remco Evenepoel managed to win in grand style on Saturday (a day after a disastrous performance on the Col du Tourmalet stage) in the second Pyrenees stage to Larra-Belagua. The Belgian asserts that he won’t rest on his laurels: “Today will be another opportunity. We’ll be going on the offensive with the team,” as cited by the Belgian newspaper Het Nieuwsblad.
After two grueling mountain stages in the Pyrenees, the riders will have a somewhat easier stage on the last day of the second week of the 2023 Vuelta. A hilly route from Pamplona to Lekunberri will provide opportunities for breakaways. The new king of the mountains, Remco Evenepoel, reveals his ambition for this stage. “I think we should be very satisfied with yesterday’s victory, but today is another chance.”
Ambitions for the Mountain Classification jersey
“We’re fighting with the team. I’ll try to stay up there to collect some points for the mountain jersey,” said Evenepoel, who still dreams of more. “Who knows, maybe I could win the stage; it’s a stage that should suit me. The Basque fans also motivate me to give my best today once again. The most important thing is to defend that mountain jersey because I want to take it home.”