Remco Evenepoel crashes, rages at commissaires after potential turning point on Stage 12 of La Vuelta
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Updated 01/09/2022 at 15:11 GMT
Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) crashed with 45km to go of Stage 12 of the Vuelta. And according to Eurosport expert Dan Lloyd on commentary, the crash was “entirely his own fault”. However, the race leader appeared far from happy in the wake of the crash. The 22-year-old rode up alongside a car and raged at the commissaires inside it as he attempted to get back on.
Evenepoel crashes, rages at commissaires
Remco Evenepoel (Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl) raged at the commissaires after crashing on Stage 12 of La Vuelta.
The 22-year-old crashed on a right-hand bend, losing the front wheel and suffering a cut on his knee and a tear in his shorts.
It could prove a potential turning point in the wider context of the race, and while Evenepoel originally looked calm, he then pulled alongside a commissaires' car and remonstrated with them as he attempted to get back on.
The peloton had slowed – as per unwritten rules of cycling – but this meant that the gap to the 32-man break went out to 12 minutes. This moved Wilco Kelderman up to second in the virtual GC.
Calling the incident on commentary, Dan Lloyd said that "to me looked entirely his own fault."
It was a point Robbie McEwen agreed with, saying: "What they call rider error. He was really quite tight to the inside - his team-mates let it drift, there was all that road to use but Remco left it tight to the inside."
Yet, the Belgian was clearly unhappy, riding alongside a race car and remonstrating with a commissaire
. Reports suggested that he was unhappy with the proximity of the motorcycle ahead of his crash, as well as the quality of the roads.
It was a frustrating moment for the 22-year-old, who already has to complete the Vuelta without Julian Alaphilippe after the Frenchman’s rotten season continued as he crashed out on Stage 11 with a dislocated shoulder.
It leaves Evenepoel with a support cast of just five as he bids to carry the red jersey into Madrid, following Pieter Serry’s withdrawal due to Covid earlier in the race.
With a bunch of climbing still on the menu in Spain, Quick-Step will be stretched to the limit to control the peloton without their super domestique in tow. And on Wednesday's Breakaway, Lloyd said that represented a sizable blow.
“It was really heartbreaking to watch,” said Lloyd.
“You’ve got to feel for the guy, and feel for the race and the fans. So many people are watching the Vuelta and looking forward to seeing Alaphilippe first and foremost help his team-mate Evenepoel but also maybe even have an opportunity for himself.
“You can tell that he wasn’t going to get back up and [he was] eventually taken away in an ambulance. It’s clearly something with his shoulder but it’s a huge blow for him, the race and for Evenepoel as well.”
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