Not the time trialing Landa, but a determined Van Wilder steps into Evenepoel’s role: "People often forget that"

When Remco Evenepoel crashed during training at the end of 2024, Soudal-Quick Step’s plans were turned upside down. The star of 'The Wolfpack' is sidelined until at least April, with no guarantee he’ll be ready to shine in the Ardennes classics as originally planned. In the meantime, the team has turned to other leaders, placing their trust in Mikel Landa and Ilan Van Wilder. IDLProCycling.com caught up with both riders to discuss their roles.

Van Wilder has been with the team for some time and has become a jack-of-all-trades. He’s taken on the role of lead-out man for Evenepoel in stage races, delivered impressive results in week-long races, demonstrated strong finishing punches in explosive sprints, and held his own in time trials.

It’s no surprise, then, that Soudal-Quick Step quickly turned to Van Wilder after Evenepoel’s spring campaign fell apart. "I’m starting in Portugal with the Figuiera Classic, then riding the Tour of Algarve, followed by Paris-Nice, the Basque Country, the Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. No decision has been made about a Grand Tour yet, but I’ll definitely do one. Most likely, it will be the Tour de France, but that’s still up in the air."

This makes sense, as Landa is headed for the Giro d’Italia, leaving the Tour and Vuelta a España open. Van Wilder is keen to race in France but acknowledges that this will also depend on Evenepoel’s form. "And now that Tim (Merlier, ed.) is going to the Tour, we’ll need to figure out how to balance things. The team will decide on that later."

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Ilan Van Wilder

Van Wilder steps up after Evenepoel's crash

It sounds a bit crude, but Evenepoel’s absence until mid-April has of course opened the door for other riders to shine. Van Wilder recognizes the opportunity, but above all, he emphasizes that he also has a duty to perform for the team. "It feels a bit strange. You wouldn’t wish this on anyone, but standing still means going backward."

"We can’t just sit back and let our competitors win everything," he explained. "We’ll give it our all and do our best for the team to perform as well as possible in every race. That’s my responsibility: to be at a good level in the races I mentioned and to fight for results up to the Walloon classics."

The adjustment hasn’t been easy, Van Wilder admits. "During the team days in November, we had a rough idea of everyone’s programs before Remco’s crash. After that, the team went back to the drawing board, and it was a matter of replanning for everyone. Now it’s done, and we just have to take it as it is. We need to step up as a team and make the best of it."

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Landa stays cool amid changes

For Mikel Landa, the situation hasn’t changed as much as for Van Wilder. The experienced Spaniard knows he’ll lead the team at the Giro and had plenty of opportunities to race for himself in 2024, his first year with Soudal-Quick Step. "I know my role here. Sometimes I'm a domestique for Remco, and sometimes I race for myself. Now I’ll get more chances to do the latter."

"We’ll definitely miss Remco, that's for sure," Landa said under the Spanish evening sun in Calpe. "He's a special rider. But more than for me, this is a great opportunity for Ilan to shine. He can take advantage of it until April."

"I deliberately choose to balance my role with Remco on the team, riding some races for him and supporting him," Van Wilder emphasized. "The opportunities I get for myself, I want to combine all the experience I've gained over the past seasons with good form, so I can compete for top results."

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Mikel Landa

Why is Landa so eager to ride for Evenepoel?

Once April is over and Landa completes the Giro d’Italia in May, the focus will shift back to Evenepoel. The Tour de France, where Evenepoel debuted in 2024 with an impressive third-place finish, will be his primary goal. Landa and Van Wilder are expected to be key members of his climbing support team.

Landa joined Soudal-Quick Step in 2024, specifically choosing a role as a domestique for Evenepoel. Why did — and does — the Spanish climber want to ride for him? "Remco is very ambitious. On the bike, he only thinks about winning. He has a lot of character and personality and is the kind of rider who can inspire that in his teammates," Landa explained.

"It’s not easy for him right now, but he seems quite calm. First, he will have to focus on getting fit, and thankfully, it’s a long season," Landa continued. "Last year, his preparation for the Tour wasn’t easy either after his crash in the Basque Country. Let’s hope things go well for him so I can support him in the Tour as planned."

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Landa (left) with Evenepoel (center)

Why is Van Wilder so eager to ride for Evenepoel? 

Van Wilder agrees with the words of his experience teammate, but added another perspective: "When you’re on the starting line with riders like Remco, Tadej Pogacar, or Jonas Vingegaard, you have to be honest and realize that they’re the best riders in the world. It’s an honor to ride for someone like that, rather than compete against them on another team. I enjoy being on Remco’s team because I’d rather ride with him than against him."

With his powerful legs, Van Wilder has often made other team leaders sweat, but he admits he’s not suited to lead over a full three-week race. "I don’t mind sacrificing for someone else because I know my limits. I’m confident I can reach a good level, but I’ll never be at the level of someone like Tadej or Remco."

"For my career, it’s smart to balance both roles and take opportunities where I can. I want to execute my job perfectly. And riding for Remco helps me grow. You're expected to perform, which comes with a certain pressure, in its own way."

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Van Wilder (second to the right) celebrates Evenepoel's Vuelta victory at the 2022 Vuelta

Van Wilder realistic regarding Pogacar and co 

At the same time, Van Wilder is determined not to lose his own opportunities. "I insist on getting chances for myself. Otherwise, you lose that edge," he said with ambition. "That’s not the plan — I’m only 24. I’m far from being on the decline, but people often forget that. It’s way too early for me to fully settle into a domestique role."

In fact, the jack of all trades believes he still has plenty of room for growth. "I think I’m a slower developer, so I definitely haven’t reached my limit yet. But I’m taking my time. I don’t need to rush. I also understand that when I aim for a good result somewhere, and guys like Pogacar, Evenepoel, or Vingegaard are competing, winning is going to be tough. But if I can finish in the top five in a race like that, like I did at the 2024 Tour of Romandie, that’s also very nice."

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Landa focuses on the Giro and time trials

Does Landa believe he still has room to improve? Absolutely, the ever-cheerful climber nodded. "I had a good winter, and my batteries are fully recharged. I’m excited for what’s ahead. I won't have any big surprises in terms of my level. At this age, that kind of stays the same. But I am trying to use my experience to compete against younger riders."

To avoid losing time against the younger generation, Landa is making time trialing a priority. "I’m focusing more on the time trial. Now that I know the team better, we’ve had more time to work on this. I think I can make some more progress there. We went to the wind tunnel this winter, and I’ve adopted a faster and more comfortable position, which should help me push more power."

"My dream is to win a stage," Landa concluded. "It’s great that so many big names are starting the Giro d'Italia. It’s good for the race and makes the results more valuable for us as riders. As for the Vuelta a España? I’ve done it four or five times over the past few years, so I wanted something different. I’ll miss it, but the Giro is special to me."

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