'Tadej didn't want to let me come back' – Remco Evenepoel bullish on cobbled Classics after taking third in his Tour of Flanders debut

Remco Evenepoel delivered an impressive debut performance at the Tour of Flanders, securing third place in one of cycling’s most demanding cobbled Classics. Despite openly aiming for victory, the Belgian rider acknowledged that a podium finish was a realistic and satisfying outcome given his inexperience in this type of race. Evenepoel was part of the decisive move alongside Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel but was eventually dropped on the Paterberg climb. He then mounted a solo chase, closing the gap multiple times, only to be thwarted by Pogačar’s relentless pace. Evenepoel’s post-race reflections highlighted the tactical battle with Pogačar, who deliberately prevented him from rejoining the leaders. The world time trial champion noted that while van der Poel did not mind him bridging back, Pogačar explicitly aimed to keep him at bay, which ultimately decided the race dynamics. Despite this, Evenepoel managed to hold off other top contenders like Wout van Aert and Mads Pedersen to claim third place, a result that he and his team had hoped for and celebrated. His resilience and tactical nous were praised by his Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe directors, who recognised the physical and mental challenge of chasing alone without support. The team’s management expressed strong satisfaction with Evenepoel’s debut, emphasising his potential for future success in the cobbled Classics. Sports director Klaas Lodewyck and chief of sports Zak Dempster both remarked on the difficulty of the race situation and Evenepoel’s courageous ride, signalling that the Belgian’s performance exceeded expectations. They also identified areas for improvement, particularly around energy management and nutrition, to enhance his capacity in these grueling races. The consensus was clear: this podium finish is just the beginning of Evenepoel’s Classics ambitions. Looking ahead, Evenepoel confirmed his intention to return to the Tour of Flanders and left open the possibility of competing in Paris-Roubaix in the future, signalling a long-term commitment to the cobbled monument races. Before tackling Roubaix, he plans to focus on the Ardennes Classics, including a bid for a third Liège-Bastogne-Liège title, further bolstering his credentials as a versatile and formidable Classics contender. Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe sees this as a turning point for their Classics campaign, aiming to build on this momentum and foster a high-performance culture within the team.