Remco Evenepoel does not leave Paris-Nice empty-handed. Despite having placed second overall, behind Matteo Jorgenson, the Belgian managed to win a stage and took the mountain jersey and the points. In addition, the 24-year-old cyclist has taken advantage of his stay in the French country to inspect the route of the final time trial of the 2024 Tour de France.
Evenepoel’s debut at the Grande Boucle will be atypical. Firstly, because since 1989 the most important cycling race in the world has not ended with a time trial. The other novelty this year is that the last stage will take place in Nice and not on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, as a result of the Olympic Games being held.
The time trial that will close the 111th edition of the Tour de France will start in Monaco and end in Nice. The 33 kilometer stage, and with two climbs, La Turbie and Col d’Eze, is one of the objectives that Evenepoel has marked in red. The Belgian, who makes his debut this year in the Grande Boucle, is the current time trial champion, therefore, he will be one of the favorites to win the last stage, on July 21.
Klaas Lodewyck, sports director of Soudal Quick-Step, revealed some details of the final route inspection: “We started in Monaco and saw the first climb twice. Then we saw the descent several times, similar to the Paris-Nice stage on Sunday “It is a beautiful time trial course, but very demanding, even more so when it is the last day of the Tour. It will be a beautiful race with a spectacular backdrop,” explained Lodewyck.
The sports director of the Remco team and Mikel Landa also assured that “many teams were there watching the course, so we know that others will be well prepared and that it will be a great race. It was a very useful day,” mentioned Lodewyck.
Furthermore, before returning to Calpe, where he resides, Evenepoel will study the route of the last mountain stage of the Tour, which has four climbs that can mark the future of the race: the Col de Braus, the Col de Turini, the Col de the Colmiane and the Couillole.