Remco Evenepoel Eyes UAE Tour Redemption on Jebel Hafeet's Final Climbing Test

UAE - Ekhbary News Agency

Remco Evenepoel Eyes UAE Tour Redemption on Jebel Hafeet's Final Climbing Test

Remco Evenepoel of Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe is poised to make a strong statement on the penultimate stage of the UAE Tour, a challenging climb up Jebel Hafeet, aiming to rebound from a disappointing performance on Jebel Mobrah just three days prior. The Belgian superstar, known for his resilience, faces a crucial opportunity to salvage his race and demonstrate his characteristic grit.

After a difficult day that saw him lose over two minutes to race leader Antonio Tiberi (Bahrain Victorious), Evenepoel has been relatively quiet. Following stage 4, he offered detailed explanations to the Belgian press about the factors contributing to his off-day, citing recklessness, overconfidence, and poor tactics. However, he opted to bypass media interactions at the start and finish of stage 5 in Dubai, a decision understandable given the intense scrutiny he faces.

His team, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, has publicly backed their star rider. Sports Director Klaas Lodewyck expressed strong belief in Evenepoel's capacity to bounce back. "Well, at least the stage win is something we aim for. Otherwise, it's better not to start. And I believe if he is well recovered, he should be able to fight for the win as well," Lodewyck told Cyclingnews after stage 5. He further emphasized Evenepoel's mental fortitude: "Absolutely, I think Remco is one of the best guys at bouncing back. For sure, we talked a lot already about what could have been wrong on stage 3, so the past two days, we were really looking forward to Saturday's stage. I think tomorrow, yes, he will just go for it, and we'll see how far we get."

Evenepoel’s career is punctuated by remarkable comebacks following adversity. A prime example occurred during the 2023 Vuelta a España, where, after losing significant time on the road to the Col du Tourmalet, he responded with two dominant solo stage victories. This history suggests that Saturday's stage could provide another platform for such a resurgence.

Strategically, while Antonio Tiberi leads the general classification, Lodewyck highlighted the threat posed by the home team, UAE Team Emirates-XRG, particularly rider Isaac del Toro, who sits second overall, just 21 seconds behind Tiberi. The 10.8km ascent of Jebel Hafeet is expected to be the decisive factor in the race's outcome.

With Evenepoel currently sitting 1 minute and 44 seconds adrift on GC, his focus is likely to shift entirely to securing a stage victory rather than challenging for the overall leader's jersey. This strategic freedom could allow him to commit fully to the climb, potentially executing a powerful late attack or a perfectly timed sprint in the closing meters, especially if he can manage the steeper gradients effectively.

Lodewyck acknowledged the tactical pressure on UAE Team Emirates: "In my opinion, the pressure is really on UAE to go, at least for the stage, because they could also gamble on the stage win or just try to gain some time on Tiberi." He added that his team would need to adapt: "So I think for us anyway, we will have to adapt a bit to their strategy, and mainly focus on Del Toro, I would say."

Despite the setback on stage 3, which interrupted Evenepoel's strong start to the season—having already secured six wins with his new team—Lodewyck stressed the importance of analyzing the performance and moving forward. The upcoming altitude training camp will further prepare him for future challenges.

Lodewyck recalled Evenepoel's strong showing earlier in the season: "Mallorca was quite a low-level race, I would say, but then in Valencia, he competed against guys like Tiberi and so on and made a really good impression. Also, there, for example, [João] Almeida and [Brandon] McNulty had to let him go, and it really mattered, so there he was really good."

He further elaborated on the factors affecting Evenepoel's performance on Jebel Mobrah: "It's just a few factors that played a role in his performance, where he couldn't follow the best on Wednesday. First of all, the long, steep gradient of the climb was not in his favour, but also some stuff that has discussed," referring to issues like inadequate air conditioning affecting his sleep and recovery after a demanding time trial effort using a large 68t chainring. He also noted that competitors had benefited from extended high-altitude training at Teide.

Looking ahead, after the UAE Tour and with the Volta a Catalunya on the horizon, Evenepoel will have completed his high-altitude preparation. A commanding performance on Jebel Hafeet could be the catalyst needed to reignite his momentum and ensure that his setback on Jebel Mobrah becomes a distant memory.

Ekhbary News Agency