Evenepoel (putting in long time trial training blocks) has one big goal besides the Tour de France: "It left the biggest impression on me"

And when Evenepoel talks about big goals for the year, one race clearly tops the list. “The Tour de France,” he stated firmly during the BKOOL event. It’s the race he most wants to win in his career. Belgium has been waiting since Lucien Van Impe (1976) for another winner of the Tour, and the 25-year-old Soudal Quick-Step rider has long been considered the country’s next great hope. However, preparation for this year’s edition hasn’t been ideal.

“I didn’t do any sports for almost three months. It’s not the kind of recovery period a cyclist hopes for,” said the reigning time trial world champion. But he’s already scheduled to race the Brabantse Pijl on April 18, though without any pressure. “I’m not going to worry. I’ll return to racing with no pressure, no expectations. If the first races go well, everything will be easier to handle.”

Winning the Tour—it’s not just a dream, it’s a goal for Remco Evenepoel. But he has plenty of other races on his list, and one that ranks very high is Il Lombardia. Back in 2020, he suffered a serious crash in the “Race of the Falling Leaves,” but in last year’s edition, he finished second behind the untouchable Tadej Pogacar. “It’s the Monument that has made the biggest impression on me over the past two years.”

But first, it’s about getting back into racing. That return will happen at the Brabantse Pijl, after which the two-time Olympic champion will also tackle the Ardennes triple. Following the Tour de Romandie and the Critérium du Dauphiné, he’ll line up in Lille for the Tour de France. But for now, the focus is on reaching peak form. Evenepoel is currently training in Spain, where he’s on a training camp with Junior Lecerf and Pieter Serry. Yesterday, the Belgians rode a 185-kilometer training session around Granada—on their time trial bikes. All signs are pointing in a good direction for his return!