Can Remco Evenepoel take the ‘Quadruple Crown’?
The Belgian heads to the road worlds as a huge favourite after winning the time trial
Photo by:
Sirotti
At the Olympics Remco Evenepoel did the unprecedented, becoming the first male to ever win gold in both the Olympic time trial and road race.
Now he’s won the world championship time trial. But there’s more to come. The road race on Sunday is a punchy, hilly course. And Tadej Pogačar is hungry to win an take the triple crown.
Pogačar, like Evenepoel, will have a strong team to support him. However, Belgium managed to outwit defending road world champion Mathieu van der Poel with solid tactics in Paris. Evenepoel countered after Van der Poel and his teammate Wout van Aert were caught and drove a breakaway pretty much by himself.
Ultimately, he burned everyone off his wheel but Valentin Madouas. The Frenchman managed to hold on long enough to stay ahead for the silver, but he too couldn’t hang on to Evenepoel’s wheel, let alone pull.
An incredible feat
No one in men’s cycling has ever won both Olympic events, as well as the rainbow jerseys. It would make for an unprecedented Quadruple Crown. Pro men started racing the time trial at the world championships in 1994. And, the Olympics added the event in 1996—yet, it’s still significant
The other rider that shouldn’t be discounted is defending champion Mathieu van der Poel, who, after a stunning Spring and a mediocre Tour de France—as well as a disappointing Olympics—will surely be hungry to defend his crown. Will the course be too hilly for the Dutchman, however?
The course takes in several of the smaller foothills that surround the Alps in the area. At 273.9 km, there’s an accumulated elevation of 4,470 m.
If you’re a cycling fan, you might be wishing for Pogačar to accomplish the Triple Crown—but think again. What about leveling that up with a Quadruple?
The elite men’s road world is on Sunday. You can watch it on FloBikes.com