Evenepoel already eyeing European Championships rematch with Pogacar

Remco Evenepoel has described the European Championships road race as one of his biggest goals of the year as he prepares for an immediate rematch with Tadej Pogacar after the World Championships in Rwanda.

The Belgian will line out as the favourite for Wednesday’s individual time trial in the Drôme, but he acknowledged that he was already looking ahead to Sunday’s road race, where he will face a deep field that includes Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard.

Evenepoel won his third successive time trial world title in Kigali, catching and passing Pogacar, but he had to settle for a distant second in the road race after the Slovenian launched his winning move with 104km to go.

“The European Championships road race is my biggest goal of the year after the Tour, maybe even more so than the World Championships,” Evenepoel said in a press conference on Tuesday, according to Het Laatste Nieuws.

Evenepoel previously won the European time trial title as a neo-pro in 2019, though he hasn’t competed in the event since he took bronze in Trento two years later. His chief rivals on the flat 24km course look set to be Filippo Ganna (Italy) and Josh Tarling (Great Britain), who both opted against the hilly Rwanda Worlds.

“Ganna and Tarling are different time trialists than my rivals in Rwanda, but I’ve already beaten them on several courses. I shouldn’t be afraid of them, especially considering my form,” said Evenepoel, who flew from Rwanda to Addis Ababa on Monday before travelling onwards to Marseille and driving to Privas.

“It’s an advantage that I'm starting last. It gives me an extra half day of recovery. But it’s not like I lost my focus after the World Championship road race. I went to bed early Sunday evening and did everything I could to be as fresh as possible here.”

Evenepoel confirmed, however, that Sunday’s road race was his chief objective this week, noting that he would not be able to wear the European time trial champion’s skinsuit even if he wins the title.

“It’s an extra incentive for next Sunday to race another half hour over the limit,” Evenepoel said. “That will always help me heading into the road race. If I get beaten, so be it, I already have a nicer jersey on my shoulders. But of course, I always ride to win.”