That must have been the lowest moment of Remco Evenepoel’s career. The time trial world champion, who would have ordinarily been in his rainbow bands had he not been in the white jersey of the best young rider, being overtaken in the closing metres of the race, not by his minute man, but by his two minute man, and not just passed by another competitor, but left chasing the shadow of one of the two riders he’s meant to be trying to better in this Tour de France.
It was a public ignominy that no one could have predicted, and one that will be as psychologically traumatic as the three serious injuries he’s sustained and overcame in his six-and-a-half year career so far. For all the highs – and there have been many: three world titles, two Olympic golds, a Vuelta a España title, two Monuments, and the list goes on – it’s the lows that hit the deepest. And this was a low. A very low low.
