Giving up is not like Remco Evenepoel, but the Olympic champion was forced to do so 5 days ago. He was wearing the white jersey at the Tour de France but after three days of pure suffering he had to raise the white flag and leave the Grande Boucle. This evening, after another stage where we saw him struggling with those who were on the final podium with him a year ago, the Belgian star wrote a touching message on his Instagram page to explain to fans what went wrong in his assault on the yellow jersey and launch an important message to young athletes.

What was supposed to represent the pinnacle of my season turned out to be my most bitter disappointment. The Tour de France was my big goal. After the December crash, everything I did had a clear purpose: to be ready for July. This goal gave me focus but also a lot of pressure.

The winter months, usually dedicated to building a solid base for preparation, were occupied by treatments and rehabilitation. I had no choice but to be patient: I had to heal. When I was finally given the green light to train again, everything started to move quickly. It was a constant battle against time: to start pinning on a number again for the April classics, to go to altitude training, to be ready for the Tour... At every moment I felt like I had to do everything to make up for lost time. In training, I didn't feel like myself, I didn't have my usual sensations, but I kept believing I could do it. I didn't want to give up on my dream.

We thought that the time dedicated to rehabilitation had allowed me to rest enough, but my body actually never took a break, it worked hard to heal from the fractures and traumas of the crash. Looking back, I didn't fall into overtraining, but I certainly consumed myself too much. I was already below par before the Tour started.

As if that wasn't enough, just before the Grand Depart, there was another crash. At the national championships, I broke a rib again. Not the worst that could happen to me, but not ideal either. I lined up at the start of the world's toughest race with a broken rib and a tired body. Not the best combination, but I didn't want to abandon the goal I had worked so hard for.

That said, I gave everything I had. I managed to win a stage, wear the white jersey for several days and remain high in the general classification. The first week went well, all things considered. In the second week, however, I paid the price for all these efforts and it showed. I gritted my teeth, but deep down I knew I wasn't at my best, until the moment my body said "enough".

After 12 days, I collapsed. I continued to hold on, I fought, I didn't want to give up for anything in the world. For you fans, I left every drop of energy I had on the road, but two days later I felt completely empty. At that moment I decided to get off the bike, especially because I was starting to feel the first symptoms of an infection. A slight discomfort soon turned into a sinusitis that knocked me out.

My withdrawal from the Tour was one of the most difficult and vulnerable moments of my career. I fell apart, but strangely I'm proud of myself. It takes strength to show that things don't always go as we would like, that even when you really intensely desire something, sometimes your body has other plans. That situation, as difficult as it was, showed that I am human. I have ups and downs, like everyone.

Abandoning the Tour was the most painful decision I've made in quite some time, but it was the right one. For once, I truly listened to my body. I hope this is a warning, especially for young riders who saw that scene: it's okay to stop. It's okay to feel tired. It's acceptable to show your humanity. Sometimes, taking a step back is the most courageous action to take. Now I'll take some time to recover and rest.

Thanks to everyone for the support. It means more than you think.

Remco

Among the many likes on Remco Evenepoel's post, notable is the one from yellow jersey Tadej Pogacar.

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Un post condiviso da Remco Evenepoel Rayane (@remco.ev)