At 22, "the prodigy of Schepdaal" is the first Belgian to conquer a Grand Tour since Johan de Muynck on the Tour of Italy 1978, 44 years ago.

"My father always told me that he finished last (113th out of 114 runners at the finish of La Vuelta in 1993, editor's note). I joked and told him that it would be funny if I finished first (... ) I'm going to enjoy it as much as I can," Evenepoel testified on Sunday.

In three weeks of racing, since the start in Utrecht, the Netherlands, on August 19, the hope of Belgian cycling has changed in dimension, showing maturity and a real strength of character.

Evenepoel was initially sparkling during the first week, with in particular a number in the Basque pass of Pico Jano which allowed him to put on the red jersey from the sixth stage to the detriment of the Frenchman Rudy Molard.

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In the second week, his convincing success in the individual time trial of the 9th stage between Elche and Alicante gave him a margin in the general standings when he was about to show the first signs of weakness.

Because the leader of the Quick-Step first lost his luxury lieutenant Julian Alaphilippe, victim of a "dislocation in the right shoulder" after a fall on the 11th stage, then fell in turn the next day in a descent.

-"The best year"-

In pain and lacking teammates, he then conceded more than a minute to his main rival, the Slovenian Primoz Roglic (Jumbo), in the Andalusian mountain range of Sierra Nevada.

But the abandonment last Tuesday of the triple title holder on the Vuelta, victim again of his audacity on a Grand Tour and of a spectacular fall when he had just exploded the peloton, opened a boulevard to Evenepoel.

And his victory on the 18th stage, at the top of Piornal, put a high point in the domination of "Remco" in the general, who leaves at the same time with the white jersey of best young person.

"Everyone announced that Remco would be the next Belgian winner of a Grand Tour. He proved it. We are proud of him", explained with emotion the general manager of the Belgian formation, Patrick Lefevere.

Five years after swapping his soccer cleats for cycling shorts, Evenepoel also offers a first victory in a Grand Tour at the Quick-Step, more cut out for the classics.

And he is putting the finishing touches to an exceptional season after the Belgian time trial championship, the Tour of the Algarve, the Tour of Norway, Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the San Sebastian Classic.

"It's the best year I could have hoped for," he summed up.

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In the end, Evenepoel finished with 2:02.

ahead of Enric Mas (Movistar) and 4:57.

on the Spanish hope Juan Ayuso (UAE).

-The Ayuso Promise-

At 19 years and 360 days, the latter became the youngest rider on the podium of a Grand Tour since 1904, embodying the rebirth of Spanish cycling on the day when Alejandro Valverde, 42, completed his last stage on the Vuelta, he who will end his prolific career at the end of the season.

The Vuelta also crowned Mads Pedersen (Trek) and Richard Carapaz (Ineos).

The Dane, 2019 world champion, second in the day's stage behind Juan Sebastian Molano (UAE), unchallengedly dominated the green jersey classification.

Winner of three stages on this 2022 edition, he is the first cyclist from the Scandinavian kingdom to win a distinctive jersey on the Spanish loop.

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The Ecuadorian for his part consoled himself with the best climber's blue polka dot jersey.

Stripped of his role as leader of Ineos after conceding more than twenty minutes on Evenepoel after a week, Carapaz has become an insatiable mountain stage hunter, with three successes at the key.

© 2022 AFP