Evenepoel reveals how much he has left in the tank after long year: "If you have a healthy year without problems…"

Remco Evenepoel’s season began in February with a victory in the Figueira Champions Classic and will end on Saturday with the Tour of Lombardy. In between, the Belgian racing on behalf of Soudal Quick-Step achieved numerous wins, including a historic double at the Paris Olympics and the World Championship title in the time trial. Ahead of his season finale, the Race of the Falling Leaves, Evenepoel spoke to the press on Friday afternoon. IDLProCycling.com was there and asked him about his current form!

"My form at the moment is at 44 percent," Evenepoel bluntly shared. "But my exact percentage is hard to say— that’s always tricky. It’s funny when riders say they’re at 105 percent, but then it turns out differently." The time trial world champion avoided making such bold claims, yet he did share some insight on his current state. "It’s clear that I’m not at the level I was in July, so we’ll see. Even with a bit less, I should still be able to perform." Whether that will be enough to win, Evenepoel couldn’t say. "But I’m going to give it everything I have, one last time to empty the tank," he declared.

"If you have a healthy year without problems, you can maintain your best form for longer," the double Olympic champion continued on the topic of form. "I showed that in 2022. I was at a high level from June all the way to the last week of my season." This year, maintaining that peak was much harder, as Evenepoel suffered a major crash in April in the Tour of the Basque Country. "After that fall, I rushed to get back in shape for July, and now I’m paying for that a bit. That’s understandable," explained the former world champion, reflecting on his challenging year.

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"Crucial moment to make a switch in my life," Evenepoel said of his major crash in the 2020 Tour of Lombardy

Saturday’s participation in the Tour of Lombardy also means a return to the same bridge where Evenepoel had a horrific crash in 2020. But he says the incident no longer haunts him. "I think I’ve moved past it," he said, somewhat hesitantly. Last year, he even went back to the bridge. "It was a good decision to take a moment there for myself. I stood there and looked at the spot where it happened, analyzing what I did wrong." That moment helped him carry much less fear, both at that location and on the bike in general.

Still, he mentioned it’s better that the riders will climb up from the bridge this year instead of descending. "I wasn’t the only rider who crashed in those corners. But it did me good — it taught me to accept things more easily." Thanks to that experience, the Soudal Quick-Step rider has since achieved remarkable things, including his historic double at the Paris Olympics. He links that achievement to the crash, saying, "The fact that I can ride over that bridge on a golden bike says a lot. It was a crucial moment to make a mental and physical switch in my life, and now it’s just good vibes."

When the riders cross that infamous bridge on Saturday, they will be in the final 60 kilometers of the race. According to Evenepoel, the course will likely explode by then. "The first hundred kilometers are, I think, much harder than the last hundred, so it will be a fierce fight for the early breakaway. When we turn left and start the climb toward Onigo (at 95 kilometers from the finish, ed.), the race will open up. Maybe not with an attack, but only one team is interested in making the race hard from that point," he noted, referring to the UAE team, which brings top favorite Tadej Pogacar, supported by Adam Yates and Pavel Sivakov. Evenepoel will be without Ilan Van Wilder on Sunday, as his Belgian teammate had to withdraw due to stomach issues. He’ll be replaced by Gil Gelders, who, along with the other Soudal Quick-Step riders, will do everything they can to challenge Pogacar.

Evenepoel won’t ride Flemish classics next season, but San Remo is a possibility

Belgian and particularly Flemish cycling fans have long awaited Evenepoel’s appearance in the Flemish classics. While he has won Liège-Bastogne-Liège twice, he has never started the Tour of Flanders. That won’t change next year, as he told VTM Nieuws. "The Flemish classics, unlike the Walloon ones, don’t fit into my program as well with the grand tours. If I ride a monument outside of Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Tour of Lombardy next year, it will be Milan-San Remo. But nothing is final yet for 2025."