The Belgian Remco Evenepoel won the 77th Tour of Spain, Sunday September 11. The young 22-year-old rider finished ahead of the Spaniards Enric Mas and Juan Ayuso in the general classification. He is the first Belgian rider to win a Grand Tour since Johan de Muynck on the Giro 44 years ago.
In September 2019, in the columns of the newspaper L’Équipe, Remco Evenepoel had received the nickname of “Little cannibal”, in reference to his illustrious elder Eddy Merckx. The wink was obvious for the young man who had swallowed up a number of titles among the juniors and had just signed his thunderous first steps among the professionals. Three years and a heavy pelvic injury later, it’s time for consecration.
At the end of a masterfully mastered Vuelta, Remco Evenepoel signs his first title on a Grand Tour. This Sunday September 11, after the 21st and final stage of this 2022 edition, between Las Rozas de Madrid and the Spanish capital, the Belgian was officially crowned. He won in 80 hours, 26 minutes and 59 seconds, while Juan Sebastian Molano took the stage victory.
Wearer of the red jersey since day 6, winner of a time trial stage and a high mountain stage, the “Little cannibal” has established itself as the boss in this Vuelta. The Slovenian Primoz Roglic, triple title holder and long runner-up to the Belgian, hoped to challenge him for victory until the end. But a fall in the last meters of the 17th stage got the better of him and forced him to retire.
44 years later, Evenepoel succeeds De Muynck
On Saturday September 10, at the end of the penultimate stage, Remco Evenepoel let out a few tears of happiness. Despite the attacks, he had yielded nothing to Enric Mas and Juan Ayuso, the last ones still able to dethrone him. ” I’ve worked so hard to get here in the best possible shape and win this Tour of Spain. It’s incredible “, he confided.
The Belgian from the Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl team (ex Deceuninck-Quick Step) savors his XXL performance. In 2021, for his very first participation in a Grand Tour, he had thrown in the towel before the 18th stage, victim of a fall. This year, Remco Evenepoel had decided, with his team, not to take part in either the Tour of Italy or the Tour de France, to concentrate on the Tour of Spain. A winning bet.
With the final victory of Remco Evenepoel, Belgium finds the heights on the Grand Tours. It had been ten years since a Belgian rider had been on the podium in one of these three races (Thomas de Gendt, 3rd in the Giro 2012). And it had been 44 years since a Belgian had won a Grand Tour, and the coronation of Johan de Muynck in Italy in 1978. On the Vuelta, the last Belgian victory dated back to 1977 and Freddy Maertens.