The mud has barely settled on Tadej Pogačar’s Giro d’Italia-Tour de France double this season however it’s now emerged one other main GC contender might effectively be within the working to not less than participate in each races in 2025: Remco Evenepoel.
In line with Patrick Lefevere, Soudal-QuickStep’s longstanding and outspoken staff supervisor, there’s a “practical choice” that Evenepoel will return to the Italian Grand Tour, previous to doubling that up with the Tour de France in July.
Evenepoel final raced the Giro d’Italia in 2023, however needed to abandon the race for a second time in three years after he and a number of teammates went down with COVID-19. His debut participation within the Tour de France this summer time was a significant triumph, seeing him clinch each third total and a stage win, in addition to the Finest Younger Rider’s jersey.
In a prolonged interview with Dernière Heure, Lefevere additionally mentioned the interminable rumours surrounding Evenepoel switching groups in 2025, saying “4 years in the past it was Ineos, now it is Purple Bull. Tomorrow it’s going to be what, UAE? Actually, I am a bit fed up with the entire story.”
Lefevere was notably extra enthusiastic in regards to the potential prospect of Evenepoel racing the Giro d’Italia and Tour de France back-to-back, telling the Belgian newspaper, “We had already aired the likelihood this yr and Remco was very taken with the thought, however his coach modified his plans. That stated, it is a practical choice for 2025.”
“We noticed it was potential to do each, as a result of Pogačar managed it. The Slovenian’s instance might act as a supply of inspiration for Remco.”
The concept of a Giro-Tour double for Evenepoel in 2024 already surfaced briefly final October after the Tour presentation, however with the Olympic Video games one other goal this summer time, it was lastly turned down.
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Lefevere admitted that such a radical change of plan would suggest a really totally different build-up to earlier seasons, solely remotely similar to 2023, when Evenepoel raced the Giro after which returned to the Vuelta a España to mix two three-week stage races for the primary and to this point solely time in his profession.
Whereas Pogačar raced a complete of 12 days earlier than the Giro d’Italia, Evenepoel must hit high kind in mid-April, Lefevere stated and would possible race Milan-San Remo earlier than going onto Italy’s Grand Tour.
Loads of Belgian followers could be delighted to see the World and Olympic Time Trial Champion observe Pogačar’s tracks in one other approach and race the Tour of Flanders. However Lefevere not directly rejected the thought for now, or on the very least, combining San Remo and the Ronde.
“He isn’t overly in settlement with that exact concept,” he informed Dernière Heure. This yr, we already hesitated to place him in Sanremo, as a result of it is a 300-kilometre race and that takes lots out of you.”
“However biking has modified, riders not must do La Primavera as a warm-up race. They practice otherwise. For certain in the future he’ll do Flanders and Milan-San Remo, however perhaps when he is achieved his largest goal of all: profitable all three Grand Excursions.”
“Afterwards, we might see. Above all, we now have to make sure that he continues to get pleasure from himself.”
Maybe partly on account of Evenepoel’s seemingly unstoppable run of success, most not too long ago within the World Time Trial Championships, the switch rumours proceed to swirl unabated. However Lefevere continued to roundly reject the thought.
“It is not one thing we intend to occur, no approach! And it has been some time since there’s been any registered submit on my desk saying that one other staff needs to speak. In order that’s not even a topic for dialogue.”
“On a sporting stage, what can he acquire elsewhere? We have perhaps bought much less cash than elsewhere, however he is going effectively right here and our relationship is constructed on belief.”
“Take a look at the palmares. In 2026 he’ll be 26, That’d perhaps be the nice second to go on the lookout for cash. However perhaps by that point, we’ll have extra monetary backing too.”
A definitive determination on Evenepoel’s 2025 season is not going to be lengthy in coming, in line with Lefevere. The principle targets will probably be determined in October in staff conferences, with the fine-tuning coming just a little later within the yr.
The 2025 Tour de France route presentation is presently set for October 29, with the equal unveiling of what is in retailer subsequent Might within the Giro d’Italia due on an as-yet-unconfirmed date in mid-November.
Come what could, Evenepoel is totally focussed on one other ‘double’ – combining his not too long ago received Worlds time trial gold with regaining the World Championship highway race title on Sunday with some ultra-tough coaching rides.
This week the thought of doing a ‘homage’ trip within the environs of the Swiss city of Sankt Moritz, the place compatriot Johan Museeuw skilled just some days earlier than profitable the Worlds in Lugano in 1996, has been quietly dropped when it turned out Sankt Moritz was too removed from his present base in Switzerland. However Evenepoel continues to be anticipated to place in a seven-hour coaching trip on Wednesday because the countdown to the ultra-long (273km) Worlds in Zurich looms.
Like Evenepoel, Museeuw was additionally a rider with Lefevere again within the Nineties, however Lefevere is adamant that the youthful professional is already in a category of his personal.
“If you happen to take a look at Remco’s palmares and the medals he is received, just one conclusion is feasible. He is one of the best rider who ever raced for me,” Lefevere concluded.
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