The veneer will bend fine. You can mask it to keep it clean. How are you going to bond it?

You could pin it with push pins. Apply epoxy as you peel it apart on one end and gradually clamp it with a piecees of lattice under waxed paper using spring clamps. You could move along foot by foot clamping and epoxying while the fresh end is pinned. Small pieces of lattice would be better insurance that it doesn't walk on you because you can monitor it as you move along down it's length.