José De Cauwer is not surprised by the performance of Ilan Van Wilder in this Dauphiné. “If you follow cycling, it shouldn’t come as a surprise. He was always the man who came closest to Remco Evenepoel among the juniors. In time trials and in other stages, in Belgium but also abroad.”
“They are from the same birth year 2000, they are just the same size. They are good time trialists. Van Wilder is still 3 kilos heavier, so that can still be taken off. But he finds it annoying to be compared with Evenepoel so often. He wants and has to find his own way. He doesn’t want Van Wilder madness.”
So in this Dauphiné it runs excellent. “The next three stages are very nice for him. He can cycle without pressure and if he can ride in the top 10 that would be a great boost. That should be possible, because he has the qualities.”
“He has competed internationally with the top in his age category in the past, both in flat stages and uphill. We have not seen the last of him yet.”
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Still, according to De Cauwer, Van Wilder should not cling to that top 10 place. “He has to follow. If you want to score as a youngster in the long run, you have to follow the good riders now. You should not go along in breakaways to get two minutes cheaply somewhere and then lose three the next day. You have to race when the big rates.”
“If you can take two cols with the big men and then get released on the third col at 5 kilometers from the end and get 2 minutes on your leg, then so be it. Then you have that feeling of being next to Thomas or Porte He shouldn’t drive away now to arrive at the foot of the col with a 5 minute lead, that’s for later.”
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