'The goal is to arrive competely fresh' – change of plans for Remco Evenepoel as he eyes Tour de France success

Remco Evenepoel and his Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe team have revised their preparation strategy ahead of the Tour de France, opting to skip the Tour Auvergne Rhone-Alpes in June. Traditionally a crucial warm-up race, this event will be replaced by a programme focused on recovery, course reconnaissance, and targeted training. The decision follows a detailed assessment of Evenepoel’s early season workload, with the team aiming to ensure he arrives at the Tour in Barcelona fully refreshed and ready to compete at his best. Evenepoel’s season so far has been marked by a mix of promising results and setbacks. He began strongly with multiple victories at the Trofeo Mallorca and the Volta Communitat Valenciana, where he claimed two stage wins and the overall title. However, a crash at the Volta Catalunya hindered his performance, though he still managed a respectable fifth place behind Jonas Vingegaard. His highlight came with a win at the Amstel Gold Race, but he was subsequently edged out at Liège-Bastogne-Liège by Tadej Pogačar and Paul Seixas, both of whom will be key rivals at the Tour. Zak Dempster, chief of sports at Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe, emphasised the importance of balancing training and recovery rather than adding further race days. The team’s analysis suggested that reducing Evenepoel’s race load would better serve his performance goals, allowing him to conserve energy and sharpen his form for the demanding three-week Grand Tour. This approach also reflects the increasing competitiveness of the Tour, where Evenepoel will face formidable opponents such as Pogačar, Vingegaard, and the emerging French talent Seixas. In addition to Evenepoel’s revised schedule, the team has finalised the build-up for his teammate Florian Lipowitz. After a strong showing at the Tour de Romandie, Lipowitz will undertake an altitude training camp before competing in the Tour of Slovenia as his final tune-up. This carefully structured preparation underscores the team’s commitment to optimising their riders’ readiness for the Tour de France, highlighting the strategic adjustments necessary in the lead-up to cycling’s most prestigious event.