The 112th Tour de France just lost a major player. Belgian rider Remco Evenepoel, from the Soudal Quick-Step team, dropped out on Saturday. He couldn’t keep up at the very start of the tough Tourmalet climb. This happened during Stage 14 of the race.
Evenepoel, only 25 years old, is a double Olympic champion. He had also finished third in a past major cycling event. This was another rough day for him in the French race. He pulled out with more than 100 kilometers left in the 182.6-kilometer stage. The route ran from Pau to Luchon Superbagnères.
Before today, Evenepoel held third place in the overall standings. He had even won the individual time trial in Stage 5. The young Belgian was 7 minutes and 24 seconds behind the yellow jersey. That coveted jersey belongs to Slovenia’s Tadej Pogacar, who rides for UAE Emirates. Evenepoel’s departure reshapes the fight for the podium. The Tour often reminds us how quickly fortunes can change.