Evenepoel wraps up important US trip (with Tour domestiques Landa and Merlier?) with a milestone

According to Het Nieuwsblad, the two GC riders from the blue Belgian formation were vising the US to take their time trial skills to an even higher level in the wind tunnel. Last year, Evenepoel did the same, which earned him a fantastic year in terms of time trials, including wins at the Tour, the Olympics, and the World Championships. This is no mean feat, so he will be seeking additional margins again this year. "Hungry for more, striving for perfection," read the caption of his Instagram post showcasing photos from the trip.

A team press release confirmed that the men were working hard during their time in the US: "Our annual trip to Specialized’s Morgan Hill facility innovation center included testing in the famous Specialized WinTunnel, as well as working with Retul and Body Geometry Fit experts on optimizing their on-bike position. As well as the work, our riders were delighted to be able to join a global audience of Specialized employees to celebrate another successful season together, with our hosts also taking our riders and staff to see a Sharks v Red Wings ice hockey game."

"We are very grateful to Specialized for hosting us," said Evenepoel. "We’ve been working together for many years now. It’s a partnership where we share the same goal of always pushing and innovating to be better. It is so important to visit to see the team here to fine tune things for the forthcoming season and talk about the development of new, faster equipment, and how we can implement its use. It is also nice to see the people that work so hard support us throughout the season and show our appreciation."

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The trip wasn’t all work — it was also a week of fun and fitness. Evenepoel and Merlier were spotted running together, with Merlier captioning the activity, "Beat the jetlag." The sprinter, who enjoyed many victories in 2024, has expressed interest in combining sprinting opportunities with supporting Evenepoel in the Tour de France. Could his presence on this trip signal a spot on the Tour roster?

After the jetlag run, it was back to training for the Tour de France’s confirmed duo: Evenepoel and Landa. "Con free Landa," Evenepoel jokingly posted alongside a 60-kilometer ride with his teammate. Landa has clearly found his place within the Belgian squad. During his time with previous teams, leadership was often shared. His strong performances in 2024 leave everyone wanting more.

The US trip wrapped up with Evenepoel reaching a personal milestone on YouTube. He received a special package from the platform: " 100.000+ subscribers!! Thanks everyone for showing so much love to this project and subscribing to our channel."