Remco Evenepoel livid over Vuelta TTT: ‘That was shit, we couldn’t see anything’

Harsh conditions for opening stage received heavy criticism

Matt Hansen August 26, 2023

Lorenzo Milesi may be wearing red, but Remco Evenepoel is seeing it. Milesi’s DSM-Firmenich team clinched victory in the opening team time trial of the Vuelta a España in Barcelona. The weather conditions were harsh, with incessant rain and fading daylight rendering the course exceptionally perilous.

Rainy roads in the dark

Although Evenopeol’s squad did well with a fourth place, the team leader was not happy after the 14.6 km team time trial. “It was super dangerous, this was ridiculous,” he said after the finish. “This was shit, we couldn’t see anything. We didn’t see anything in the small streets in the city. We went super carefully in the corners because we’re here for a classification. You don’t want to fall on day one.”

The last teams would finish in the darkness, which was the world time trial champion’s main complaint to the journalists at the finish.

DSM-Firmenich wins Vuelta a España opening team time trial in treacherous conditions

“You [journalists] all have lights on above your cameras, that says it all. It’s just dark. Can you imagine what it’s like to be in the wheel and constantly get water in your face? You can’t see a metre in front of you,” he said. “Tomorrow everyone will criticize me again for saying this. But it’s just dangerous. You’re not going to drive at 200 km/h on the highway in the dark without headlights.”

My list of items to submit for changes is getting longer after today's TTT at the #LaVuelta23    …….

Traditionally, the Vuelta has always had these late starts to have the podium live on the news. However, this was the first time with the current weather situation,… pic.twitter.com/aEtOjyUJXi

— Adam Hansen (@HansenAdam) August 26, 2023

Evenepoel said more should be done for the riders given the fact that organizers knew it would be dark for some teams.

“If you don’t say anything they will not change it.” – An agitated Remco Evenepoel at #LaVuelta23 pic.twitter.com/fX9FhND328

— Sophie Smith (@SophieSmith86) August 26, 2023

“You know it’s going to be dark, right? You can’t do anything about the rain, but you can do something about the lighting. This was life-threatening. It was life and death in the wheel,” he said. “You want to win, so we’re already taking risks. But if it’s also wet and dark, it becomes risky. This is just ridiculous. The organization must think about safety. This is a real shame for such a beautiful race as the Vuelta.”