https://sporza.be/nl/2018/11/06/koen-pelgrim-over-remco-evenepoel/
semi google-translated.
Trainer about program Evenepoel: "Races where he finds a challenge".
Remco Evenepoel will become pro january first.
Remco Evenepoel (18) knows where he will take his first steps in the professional peloton. Trainer Koen Pelgrim has drawn up a limited program. "Results are of secondary importance", says the Dutchman of Quick-Step.
"He can do his thing, but the program is not too taxing"
The Tour of San Juan, the Tour of the Algarve, the Tour of Catalonia and the Tour of Turkey may welcome Remco Evenepoel next spring, confirmed the 18-year-old neoprof in Het Laatste Nieuws.
"We have given him a program that suits him, in which he sees challenges and where he can do his thing, but at the same time is not too taxing," explains Quick-Step coach Koen Pelgrim to Sporza.
"We have drawn up a provisional program that includes some time trials and some climbing, which are the elements in which he excells and in which he wants to develop further in the coming years, but the races are not always of the highest level. so he can develop calmly. "
"At that age you have to build up step by step"
The new team of Remco Evenepoel wants to be extra sparing with its talent. "He comes from races of 120 to 140 kilometers and stage races of up to 5 days."
"Now he will sometimes have to do 200-kilometer stages for several days in a row, and at a higher level, where he will not always be able to conserve his energy, that's a much heavier load and that's the step by step build up."
"We are trying to forge a program with sufficient rest between race days, and if he gets exhausted, he can calmly recover and start a new race well rested."
"Results are of little importance"
With the Tour of Catalonia, his first WorldTour stage race will normally take place at the end of March. "We want to let him try the level of such a race," says Koen Pelgrim, who will be one of Evenepoel's monitors.
"He does not drive to perform, but to try a different type of race, and he can compare himself to the best, because that race is usually a sort of benchmark where stage racers want to show themselves a first time. Remco doesn't have to compete with those men yet, but that way he can get an idea of their level. "
Doesn't Evenepoel have to perform anywhere? "That's not a requirement, we'll see how it goes. He's allowed to perform, of course, but the idea is to improve him step by step, the results in the first months are of secondary importance. "
Tim Booth said:
"I start in the Tour of San Juan (20-27 / 01), followed in principle by the Tour of the Algarve (20-24 / 02), the Tour of Catalonia (25-31 / 03) and the Tour of Turkey (16-21 / 04)."
From the same article:
- 55 race days in 2019
- likely to race the Hammer Series Limburg as well
- Belgian Championship TT and road too
- wants to be ready for Argentina
- will take a break mid-season