Remco Evenepoel couldn’t clinch victory at the 2023 Chrono des Nations. The Belgian, who is the World Time Trial Champion, finished in second place, being outpaced by the European champion, Joshua Tarling.
“My feeling is very good. I did a good time, and I don’t think I could have gone any faster. I started well, but so did Tarling, and he maintained the lead he built until the end,” Evenepoel told HLN in his post-race interview. “He started a bit faster, and that was the difference today. It was a balanced match, and although I got a bit closer towards the end, I shouldn’t look for excuses. He was just a little better today.”
Although he said he wasn’t looking for excuses, Evenepoel believed there were a few reasons why the victory didn’t go his way. “I hit a deep hole right at the beginning and immediately took a blow to the elbow. I think there was some blood, although that probably wouldn’t have made a difference today. But it’s more convenient if you don’t feel anything on a time trial bike,” he suggests.
“It was a tough time trial, I struggled a lot with the wind, and I think cyclists weighing 80 kg can handle it a bit better. I was being shaken from left to right with crosswinds, and that was tough.”
“The last hard effort on a challenging course, nice to finish. It was a great season with many victories and podiums,” concludes the Belgian, who is now officially on vacation.
