Evenepoel embraces challenge of Pogacar era: 'If anything, it's a motivation'

“If anything, it’s a motivation,” he told La Gazzetta Dello Sportahead of the Ardennes Classics, where he is expected to start at the Amstel Gold Race. “I focus on myself, on becoming the best version of who I can be. That version isn’t there yet.”

At 26, his palmarès already stretches across Grand Tours, time trials and some of the biggest one-day races, but his ambitions have not softened. A move to Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe has brought a fresh environment, and with it, a renewed sense of purpose.

“A change like this gives you new energy,” Evenepoel said. “Different coaches, different teammates, a different way of working. You learn things about yourself again. That’s what I was looking for.”

After an inconsistent early season, marked by a very strong start in Spain, a modest UAE Tour, a crash affected Volta a Catalunya, and an impressive debut at the Tour of Flanders, the Ardennes Classics represent a new benchmark for Remco Evenepoel.

With a programme building towards Liège–Bastogne–Liège, a race where he has already made his mark, the challenge remains significant, with Tadej Pogačar still the reference point.

Evenepoel’s approach, however, has not changed. “You can’t spend your time thinking about others,” he said. “You have to look at what you can improve. That’s where the focus is.”

That broader question about where his ceiling lies has also been raised outside the peloton. Former world champion Johan Museeuw offered recently a clear view on Evenepoel’s long term prospects, suggesting that one-day racing may ultimately offer a more realistic path than a focus on winning the Tour de France.

“My opinion, it will be easier for him to win Monuments than to win the Tour,” Museeuw said in the Domestique Hotseat podcast. “With riders like Pogačar and Vingegaard, that’s very difficult.”

The Belgian pointed to Evenepoel’s profile as a decisive factor. His explosiveness and ability to ride solo efforts suit the modern demands of one-day racing, where races are more unpredictable and the variables more open.

“To win races like the Tour of Flanders or the Amstel Gold Race, he has a big chance,” the 'Lion of Flanders' added.

Evenepoel, for his part, does not appear overly concerned with that distinction. If anything, his thinking has broadened. In a sport that demands total commitment, he has become more deliberate about what happens away from the bike.

“When it’s time to train or race, I’m fully committed,” he said. “But you also need moments to switch off. Cycling isn’t everything, and it doesn’t last forever.”

That perspective is influenced as much by life off the bike as on it. Since marrying his wife, he has spoken more openly about his faith and the role it plays in his daily life.

“It’s something I’m learning over time,” he said. “Step by step. And I’m happy with that.”