Remco Evenepoel, winner of the Flandrien trophy: “I want to win another grand tour in 2025”

You mentioned the intense 35 days of last summer. But between your podium on the Tour and your second Olympic medal, only 13 days passed. So much emotion in such a short time, it must have been crazy.

“Absolutely. It was also an intense period. After the Tour finished in Nice, I went straight to Paris for the Olympic time trial, then went home for a few days, then came back to Paris for the road race I couldn’t even enjoy this first Olympic medal but fortunately I was able to do it after the second, we went on vacation to Greece and it was only there. on a deckchair, by the pool, that I realized what I had accomplished. It was special, especially considering what had happened in the previous months.”

You are obviously talking about this fall at the Tour of the Basque Country, with Jonas Vingegaard. And this fracture of the right shoulder blade and clavicle.

“At that point, I couldn’t do any sports for 20 days except for some rehabilitation. My collarbone was twisted. My arm was completely split open. I also had a lot of cuts and a severe crack in my shoulder blade . I also had a sort of whiplash when I hit a tree. When I resumed training at the beginning of May, there were only two months left before the start of the Tour. . During my training in Sierra Nevada, five weeks before the start of the Grande Boucle, I was not able to complete a full training session and I had a very bad feeling when I returned home.. Every day. mattered and the Dauphiné allowed me to return to a better level day after day, as proven by my victory on the last stage. Then, I had to do two weeks of specific exercises. I am sure that it helped me. missed a few percent following this somewhat rushed preparation. The majority of the work was done in these fifteen days before the start of the Tour. This should not be underestimated. A stage like that of Galibier, at the start of the Tour, was a real question mark. Fortunately, it went well but for the same price, I was not up to standard and everything fell apart.”

The fact of having been so strong despite truncated preparation is promising for the future, right?

“Yes… but Jonas Vingegaard also had a disrupted preparation and he still finished three minutes ahead of me. The difference, on the 2025 Tour, will have to come from my experience of 2024. Now, I know that I must dare to go there days when I feel really good.”

Have you experienced this kind of day on the 2024 Tour?

“Yes, in the 17th stage at Superdevoluy, where I took time from Tadej and Jonas (Editor’s note: 10 and 12 seconds respectively). In terms of feelings, it was my best day of the year, even better than at the Olympics. I felt really good but I was afraid to move. Three kilometers from the finish, I managed to open up a small gap and it was a new situation for me. I saw that they didn’t react and I wondered what was going on. Should I continue or keep things under control? This day could have been even better. If I experience this kind of moment again next year, I know I have to give it my all over three kilometers.”

The gaps at the end of the Tour were quite significant: three minutes with Vingegaard, more than nine with Pogacar. The objective is obviously to reduce this gap in 2025. Do you feel that it is possible?

“We must first hope that Pogacar does not progress yet (laughs). This would be useful for me…and for the rest of the peloton. I consider it realistic to be five minutes from the Slovenian. Managing to save four minutes compared to 2024 would be a good start. But hey, it’s easier said than done. I have to work hard.”

Patrick Lefevere explained that it was important for the whole team, not just you, to reach their best level on the Tour.

“He’s right. The Tour is the Tour. Everyone really has to be at 110%. I can’t say it wasn’t good this year but in terms of each rider’s individual form, I think that it could have been better. It is essential to compete with UAE Emirates or Visma | Lease a Bike. We must collectively raise our level. This is our main point of improvement.

Your teammates are sometimes shocked at how fast you can go. For your part, were there moments when you were shocked by Pogacar?

“Yes, on the Plateau de Beille. I reached the same values ​​there as on each final climb… but I still lost three minutes. With this gap, I should have been 10th or 11th, but I finished 3rd. That day was crazy. The Tour of Lombardy was also impressive. He was a minute ahead at the top of the pass and at the end of the descent. Then in the valley, he took me back two minutes. In those moments, we realize that he is the best runner in the world and that he is on his way to becoming the best of all time.”

Do you sometimes think that you are unlucky enough to be his contemporary?

“We can see the negative side, by telling ourselves that we have a better chance of finishing 2nd or 3rd when he is there, or the positive side, by having the will to try to get closer to his level to beat him. I chose the second option.”

In Lombardy, you didn’t move when Pogacar attacked.

“My plan was to try to keep up with him. You don’t see it on TV, but in the five minutes before he attacked, his team sped up 20 or 30 watts. At that point, everyone was at home. limit and can only follow when he accelerated, I was afraid of completely exploding while following him. This actually happened to many other runners, who finished two minutes behind me.

Remco Evenepoel satisfied after his second place at the Tour of Lombardy: “A personal victory”

We know that you will return to the Tour in 2025. But the big question is: will you be at the start of the Giro?

“Last year, the Giro-Tour combination was not possible because of my ambitions for the Olympic Games. But in 2025, there are no Games. So we can think about it, but we have to wait for the route. If I do the Giro, I will not take part in Ardennes classics like the Amstel or the Flèche wallonne. On the other hand, if I am in good health, I will always be at the start of Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

And the Flandrian classics? Will we see you at the Tour of Flanders?

“I already thought about it, but it was before tasting the Tour de France. It’s not really in my head anymore. In any case, I won’t do it next year. Milan-San Remo is still an option but to be honest, we have not yet defined the 2025 program. For the moment, we just have ideas and goals.”

What are these objectives?

“My third place on the Tour motivated me to do better on a grand tour… it doesn’t matter which one. I would really like to relive the feeling of winning a grand tour. That will be the goal. Everyone knows that after the Vuelta, I want to win the Giro and the Tour and in this sense, Tadej and Jonas have become my references. They climb better than me and I will now devote myself more to working in the mountains rather than the time trial. .”

Roglic declared, laughing, that he mainly intended to build his 2025 program based on the races where Pogacar will not be. Will this be your case too?

“No, especially since I like racing against him. He’s a good guy in addition to being a great champion. It’s an honor to compete with him and beating him is a challenge. I had to Elsewhere he has already won races where he was at the start and I hope that it will happen again (.laughter). Last year, he had a year where everything went perfectly for him. I experienced that a bit in 2022… and why not relive it in 2025.”

On the Tour, your bromance with Pogacar was highlighted. What kind of relationship do you have with him?

“I have his phone number, like I have Wout’s (van Aert) or Matthew (van der Poel). After his victory in Lombardy, I sent him an Instagram post that estimated his power data during the last hour and a half of the race. I told him it wasn’t possible because I had the same ones and I lost three minutes (laughter). I asked him for his real data. He didn’t really answer me, because we were joking. We also write to each other on our respective birthdays. He’s not my best friend but he’s a good colleague. And in the peloton, you have to know how to make friends.”

Behind the scenes of the new friendship between Pogacar and Evenepoel: “My respect for him grows day by day”

They say that this winter, you will particularly focus on your weight. But not enough to take a scale with you on vacation, right?

“After the Tour of Lombardy, I indulged in a few cheat meals, like a kebab. At the start of winter, you have to know how to treat yourself. But once training resumes, I will be a lot more careful.”

What can we wish you for 2025?

“Win a grand tour. And why not a third Flandrien trophy (laughter).”

Tour de France 2025: Remco Evenepoel in yellow on the fifth day?