Remco Evenepoel’s first season at Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe is now just around the corner. The team expects a lot from him, but in the Flemish classics: we will not see him at work there yet. CEO Ralph Denk made this very clear.
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No debut in Flanders Most Beautiful
There was a lot of fuss about Evenepoel’s possible participation in the Tour of Flanders, especially when he – together with Gianni Vermeersch – was spotted training in the Flemish Ardennes. However, in an interview with Het Nieuwsblad, Denk puts an end to the rumors that Remco would still ride Flanders Most Beautiful.
“The Tour is not a topic of discussion at the moment. We have said it before: this is our first year with Remco and we are consciously opting for a traditional program. After his accident last season, this is not the time for experiments. Now we are primarily aiming for a stable season with him,” it sounds clear.
Denk, however, sees Evenepoel harvesting for the team later in the spring: “Absolutely, the Ardennes classics, he has already proven that. And Lombardy should definitely be possible too,” so he is currently only looking at the climbing classics.
The country turned upside down
As mentioned, Evenepoel was spotted at Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg. Denk has his own opinion: “You Flemish people are truly incredible. You see Evenepoel riding over a few cobblestones and suddenly the whole country is turned upside down: will he start in the Tour of Flanders after all? In all the newspapers, on all sites. Unlikely.”
To then make it clear once again that there are currently no plans in that direction: “I say here now, with one hundred percent certainty: Remco Evenepoel will not ride the Tour of Flanders in 2026. After that? Next year? We will see about that. But not in 2026.”
“There are also cobblestones and gravel in the Grand Tours. You have to be prepared for all circumstances. That’s why Remco rode on the cobblestones. And because he’s still Flemish, of course. Why not?”
