The Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes (previously the Critérium du Dauphiné) is at all times a hotbed of recent tech. Recent bikes get launched into the wild for discipline testing earlier than the Tour de France.
This yr, this included the brand new Specialised Tarmac SL9, seen on the Crimson Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe camp. Whereas the bike was attention-grabbing in its personal proper, nearer inspection of the photographs reveals a sticker underneath the downtube bearing the identify ‚Remco Evenepoel‘, showing to counsel the Belgian is to make a shock return to racing sooner than deliberate forward of the Tour de France.
Crimson Bull has but to launch a full staff roster on the time of writing, one thing which most, if not all, different groups on the race have completed, so whereas this stays speculative, the indicators actually level to the affirmative.
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One other clue is that the chain on the bike is gold, which Evenepoel almost at all times makes use of because the Olympic champion.
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The gold chain is clue primary.(Picture credit score: Will Jones)
A reputation sticker hidden underneath the down tube could be very uncommon. (Picture credit score: Will Jones)
And that positively says ‚Remco Evenepoel‘(Picture credit score: Will Jones)
In the beginning of Could, it was reported that Enevepoel had axed the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes from his calendar, opting to not race in any respect for a full 69 days within the build-up to the Tour de France to deal with ‚particular coaching‘.
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If Evenepoel is to seem on the race it will actually be sooner than deliberate, and whereas there could also be a want to get some racing within the legs it is usually value remembering that the Tour Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes is the final race earlier than the Tour to characteristic a staff time trial, maybe providing the Belgian specialist an irresistible closing probability to tune this self-discipline up with a race quantity on earlier than the opening stage in Barcelona and a first-rate alternative to put on the yellow jersey.
Ought to Evenepoel line up at first on Sunday, it would actually give pre-race favorite Paul Seixas trigger for concern, and will definitely imply he would not have the race all his personal manner. There may be each chance that if it is a shock pre-Tour shakedown, Evenepoel will likely be flanked by a robust squad with lots of firepower.
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