Remco Evenepoel withdrew on Saturday: the Belgian put his feet down, got off the bike, and decided to stop, with the entire Soudal-Quick Step supporting his decision. He had been suffering for three consecutive days, with no pain or virus, but his performance was not what he expected, and therefore he found it pointless to continue racing knowing he would not achieve results.

Patrick Lefevere, who perhaps knows the young champion best in Soudal-Quick Step, explains what might have happened to Evenepoel.

"Saturday evening he went to McDonald's with the mechanics. He is perfectly right: Remco did not have an easy winter. His high-altitude training camp after the Dauphine was terrible. It would have taken a miracle, but it didn't happen, and he did well to stop."

The former Soudal-Quick Step leader admitted he did not speak with Evenepoel and only saw him pass by Saturday evening outside the team's hotel.

"Suddenly, I saw a group of mechanics arrive together. Apparently, they had all been to McDonald's with Remco. At least now we know he can eat something."

For Lefevere, Evenepoel's withdrawal was not a surprise. He had seen him not pedaling as he should and knew about the problems he had in preparing for the Tour. "I had anticipated it for a few days. Seeing him on Hautacam and then on Peyragudes, it was clear he was not well. He was certainly physically and mentally exhausted, but I think he fought courageously in this Tour. In the stage towards Hautacam, everyone thought he would lose thirty minutes, but he really fought."

On Saturday, it was evident he was nervous, which he showed when he pushed away cameras trying to approach him while he wanted to speak to his team car.

"I think Remco behaved very respectfully. He did not say a single harsh word about his teammates. I can say, as he himself declared, he did not have a solid base for long distances. It's simply a fact. With riders who have been inactive for a long time, you often see ups and downs."

For Lefevere, the fall last December compromised his preparation, resulting in a season where results were never consistent. "We saw it from the start of the season, he was very strong early on at Brabant, but then had a weak moment in Liège-Bastogne-Liège. His Dauphine went well, but afterward, he simply had a very disappointing high-altitude training camp."

Regarding that poor training camp before the Tour, Evenepoel had stated that he was unable to complete a single proper training session. "He was inconsistent at the Tour. In the first half, he was simply good. We saw how he won the time trial, and it's even more of a shame now that he couldn't wear the yellow jersey."

Lefevere does not want to provide solutions or explain what to do, but thinks a period of rest might be the best thing for Evenepoel, who can still achieve important results in the last part of the season. "Now he needs to clear his head because there is tension. It's typical of champions like Evenepoel. They set the bar very high and always believe they can clear it. If it doesn't work, the disappointment is proportional. As far as I'm concerned, the Vuelta is not an option. He should have reached the big goal with one-day races, but there are still the World Championships in Kigali. I've been there, and it's a course Remco should be 100% satisfied with because it's perfect for him."