Cycling, the watts of 'discord' between Evenepoel and Pogacar

Rome, 9 November 2024 - Outside the race, the relationship between the two is excellent but, precisely, this is only true once they get off the bike: in the saddle Tadej pogacar e Remco Evenepoel they are rivals in Grand Tours but perhaps even more so in one-day races, where the gap seems smaller. Or at least, it seems so, because the very recent past has said something completely different: amidst the incredulousness, almost a month later, of the Belgian himself.  

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  In an increasingly technological cycling, a slave to the so-called computers, every piece of data is dissected: even more so that of the watts produced. And rewinding the tape to the last 12 October, day of the Tour of Lombardy 2024, apparently pogacar ed evenepoel they developed the same power: to be precise 340 watts on average, a figure that still leaves the runner perplexed Soudal Quick Step, intercepted by the microphones of Het Nieuwsblad. "In the minutes before the attack of pogacar, his team accelerated. I had understood where he would attack but I was already at the limit even though I had decided as a strategy to try to replicate his attacks. He started 7 km from the top of the Fill of Sormano and he went over the top with 1' of advantage. Then, in the valley, the margin rose to 2': at that moment you understand that Tadej he has become the best runner in the world and that he is getting better and better". After the flattery, comes the 'spiciest' part of the outburst of evenepoel. "I wrote to him, I wanted to know his values, but he didn't answer me". The profile came to the rescue of the 2000 class Instagram di Alive, the organization consisting of several teams of theUCI in which numerous data, videos, photos and very interesting contents converge for enthusiasts but, apparently, also for insiders. "In that post the average power was indicated that pogacar had had in the last hour and a half of the Lombardia, and it was just 340 watts: same as mine, but I had taken more 3' from him". The Belgian's incredulity and curiosity did not stop there. "I wrote to him asking him his real values ​​and he didn't tell me. But it was a game, an ironic and sarcastic question: he is not my best friend, but he is a good colleague and sometimes we talk". In reality, the challenge of watts had apparently already begun at Tour de France. "On the Beille platter we produced the same power, but I was 3' behind: it was really crazy". Yet, despite the evidence, the Belgian has no intention of imitating Primois Roglic, who between serious and factual said he wanted to choose in 2025 only the races where the compatriot will not be present. "It's true that when there is pogacar there is a good chance of coming in second, but I see it differently and I think it's a challenge every time to try to beat him. In reality - he concludes evenepoel - I like to run against Tadej, who is a good guy. And then, I have already won races with him at the start".

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