The expectations around him were sky-high, and the World Champion delivered in style, winning cycling’s oldest Monument – Liège–Bastogne–Liège – for the second consecutive year.
Video: Sam Baguet / Soudal-Quick Step
Video: Sam Baguet / Soudal-Quick Step
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SportTranscription
00:00 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:03 [CHEERING]
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00:09 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
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00:48 [MUSIC PLAYING]
00:52 [CLAPPING]
01:11 Yeah, the race in Liege was pretty special last year.
01:13 I think I came there without too many expectations.
01:17 But in the end, we were quite focused
01:19 to try and win the race.
01:21 In the end, we had a big plan.
01:23 And we executed the plan perfectly.
01:26 For sure, there was the nasty crash
01:27 in the bunch, which took out two of our strongest riders, which
01:31 wasn't an ideal situation for us.
01:33 But in the end, we handled this stress moment pretty well
01:37 and kept focusing on the goal and on the plan.
01:41 And I think for myself, it was not my first big victory,
01:45 but maybe the biggest victory back then.
01:47 So it was like a new step into my--
01:51 or a new achievement in my career.
01:52 And yeah, it's a moment I will never forget.
01:56 After this beautiful victory in Liege,
01:57 I took a lot of self-confidence.
02:01 I had a feeling that I became stronger as an athlete,
02:03 but also mentally in the head.
02:05 So less moments that went up and down,
02:10 so more stable performances from my side.
02:14 So I think that day made kind of a switch in my head,
02:19 but also in my body as a rider.
02:20 [SPEAKING FRENCH]
02:25 Riding in the rainbow in my first Monument victory,
02:31 one of, I think, maybe my favorite race
02:35 in the whole season, with number one on, let's say,
02:39 my second home road, because I know the roads very well.
02:41 I train often there.
02:42 So I'm actually really excited already
02:44 to start the race on Sunday.
02:47 Who will attack first between you and Tadej?
02:51 You will see tomorrow.
02:53 [MUSIC PLAYING]
02:56 [SPEAKING FRENCH]
03:19 [SPEAKING FRENCH]
03:48 I have already said it a lot, but I
03:50 think my teammates are often more important than all
03:53 the work that I do myself to get into a race.
03:55 So the victory is always the most in the spotlights,
03:59 but I think all the work that the teammates do behind
04:02 or before the final is maybe even more important than the final
04:05 itself.
04:06 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:17 Here he goes.
04:19 The strike happens.
04:20 He played a little bit.
04:22 Pidcock immediately goes with the acceleration,
04:26 but the gap starts to go.
04:28 The head of Pidcock drops.
04:29 Evenepoel strikes.
04:31 He's going away.
04:32 It's one meter.
04:34 It's two meters.
04:35 And now Evenepoel puts in the hammer blow
04:38 and starts to ride away.
04:42 Tom Pidcock was just about holding onto Evenepoel's wheel
04:45 after La Redoute, but he was unable to give the Belgian
04:47 a turn and said goodbye on a short rise
04:49 a few kilometers later.
04:51 [MUSIC PLAYING]
04:54 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:16 [ENGINE ROARING]
05:20 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:27 [INAUDIBLE]
05:37 [INAUDIBLE]
05:38 Thank you.
05:41 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:45 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
05:48 Remco Evenepoel conducts his own celebration.
05:52 The world champion wearing number one.
05:55 He joins the greats of Belgium.
05:58 He joins Eddie Merckx as a back-to-back victor
06:02 of Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
06:04 He puts his fingers up.
06:06 It's two wins in Liege-Bastogne-Liege.
06:09 He's ready for the Giro d'Italia.
06:11 Remco Evenepoel wins.
06:14 [NON-ENGLISH SPEECH]
06:17 [CHEERING]
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07:49 First of all, two more guys, but these guys,
07:53 I think everybody saw what they did today.
07:55 It was pretty special from the start.
08:00 Two-- Lara Dut with Ilan, two guys
08:03 who had a bad memory of last year.
08:06 I think it's a big chapeau for them
08:08 because we love these bad memories.
08:10 It's not easy.
08:11 I can also speak from my experience in Bombardier.
08:14 It's not easy to come back to a race where you have a big crash.
08:16 So chapeau, guys.
08:18 Thank you very much for this big effort.
08:21 We had a big plan, not an easy plan,
08:23 going on Lara Dut in the wet.
08:26 Almost went wrong with a small slipper.
08:30 Luckily, Ilan was still there to push me.
08:34 So I think it's a victory thanks to you guys,
08:38 and also everybody that works here, as usual.
08:42 Also has a small piece of--
08:45 big piece, of course, in the victory.
08:47 So thank you, everybody, and let's keep going.
08:49 [CHEERING]
08:52 Like last year, I always do.
08:55 The world ain't no sunsets or rainbows.
08:57 It's a very mean and nasty place.
08:59 Don't get up, tough boy.
09:01 It will beat you to your knees if you let it.
09:05 Nobody can hit as hard as I. But ain't that hard to hit.
09:08 It's about how you can get it and keep moving forward.
09:12 But you can take and keep moving forward.
09:15 And this is how winning is done.
09:17 [CHEERING]
09:20 [MUSIC PLAYING]
09:24 [GUNSHOT]
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