Remco Evenepoel plans to challenge ‘idol’ Primoz Roglic at 2023 Volta a Catalunya final stage

Remco Evenepoel plans to take the fight to Primoz Roglic in the last stage of the Volta a Catalunya after a hard-fought race to Molins de Rei on Saturday.

Evenepoel (Soudal–Quick-Step) trails Roglic (Jumbo-Visma) by 10 seconds, and speaking after the day’s racing he told Eurosport that the plan for the stage was to attack on the climb 27 kilometres from the finish line.

“It was the plan this morning,” Evenepoel said. “We had a plan to go from the base of the climb full gas but in the end, another team did it to control for the sprint, so I decided to wait for the last kilometre and do an attack like I did in Liège, just over the top of the climb and the descent full gas.”

Evenepoel was visibly frustrated during the stage and suggested that Roglic was not permitted by Jumbo-Visma to race for the win, something that might have earned one of the pair the victory.

“In the end, I had the wrong guy with me,” the 23-year-old Belgian explained. “I mean he’s the strongest of the race so probably if he works with me, we go to the finish line together because we had 30 seconds arriving in the valley. But I think his team decided to not ride and save the jersey, which I completely understand.

“But it’s just a pity because it would’ve been nice to try and go for the stage win. I even told him that I just wanted to try and go for the stage, even if I would be second I’d be happy. But of course, if you get team orders you have to follow them. It’s not that I’m angry or something; that’s just bike racing.”

The last stage on Sunday will take the riders to Barcelona over the course of 136km, with Evenepoel hoping to finally overhaul his rival. He is aiming to secure victory in the stage and the general classification.

“For sure, there’s a pretty long climb in the beginning of the stage so there will be big attacks, big tempo, hard racing,” he said. “Then the local lap in Barcelona is known to be very hard. There’s not one moment of rest so there will be attacks all over the place. For sure we’ll try to go for the stage win, hopefully.

“But of course, the GC will be very difficult. But everything is still possible. We will see. I think today it was again the two strongest who went off on the climb. Let’s hope it’s the same tomorrow and I hope that if we go, he’ll work with me, and we can try to go for the stage.”

Discussing his preparation for the Giro d’Italia after recent altitude training, he said: “I came from altitude – I need to feel how the legs are, I want to race, I want to improve towards the Giro.

“I feel that I’m still not at 100%, I’m just in good shape. But I feel like there are small details like weight etc that can still improve my shape.

“But I think that what we are showing together is that we are very equal in level and that it’ll be a very nice battle during the Giro if we keep this shape. But of course, some other guys will also improve.

“It’s actually very nice to race against my idol because I really look up to him. It’s just very nice to race with a superstar like Primoz.”

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