Evenepoel plans 'specifically tailored preparation' for World Championships after Tour of Britain podium

The Soudal-Quick Step rider made two attempts to win the final 112-kilometre stage in Wales, but couldn't break clear of his rivals on the final climb. Speaking to Sporza, Evenepoel said, "The stage was only 100 kilometres, and everyone can ride hard for their classification. I can live with this outcome."

With the World Championships in Rwanda now his primary focus, Evenepoel outlined his upcoming training plans. "What's my plan now? First, a day off the bike tomorrow, then a few intensive training sessions," he explained. "We'll fine-tune everything and focus on high-intensity workouts. Once we have that in place, it's just a matter of hoping everything goes well."

The Belgian star will split his training between time trial and road race preparation, acknowledging the challenges of the Rwanda courses. "I'll be alternating between my time trial bike and my regular bike in the coming days," Evenepoel said.

When asked about his preparation for Rwanda's climate conditions, Evenepoel remained deliberately vague about his specific plans. "Am I going to Spain? I won't say so. Otherwise, everyone will show up there," he joked.

The unpredictable weather and altitude in Rwanda present unique challenges that Evenepoel is carefully planning for. "It can rain like it did this week, or it can be warm, plus it's at altitude. It's going to be a specifically tailored preparation, combining both heat and altitude training. I've had a long altitude block already, so an extra push is still welcome."

Sports Director at Soudal-QuickStep, Klaas Lodewyck, believes Evenepoel is progressing well in his build-up. "Remco is doing well; he's had some good stages here and has completed three additional training sessions following the races. I believe he is slightly better than he was at this time last year."

While acknowledging that Evenepoel might not yet be at peak form, Lodewyck expressed confidence in his trajectory. "It's hard to say how close he is to peak form. He just completed an altitude camp, and how well he races in the coming days will clarify that."

Rather than additional hard training, recovery will now be prioritised in Evenepoel's preparation. "We'll do some more training, but not much additional work. He needs to recover well from this week and the previous training period," Lodewyck said.

The team plans to spend about ten days in a warmer location before travelling to Rwanda for the Championships later this month, where Evenepoel will look to add to his collection of rainbow jerseys.