Evenepoel wary of UAE alliances - 'They'll definitely lend Pogacar a hand'

"No, the time trial doesn't change anything for me," Evenepoel stated firmly in his press conference on Friday. "I also got a lot of motivation from that time trial. But we came here with a plan for the time trial and that won't change. On the other hand, it also doesn't mean we'll be overconfident now."

The Belgian champion recognises the challenge ahead, particularly from his Slovenian rival. "We have to keep our feet on the ground, because Tadej [Pogačar] is the best rider of recent years. But again: we are sticking to our plan," he emphasised.

Evenepoel highlighted Mount Kigali, situated 100 kilometres from the finish, as a potential turning point in the race. He achieved the King of the Mountain (KOM) during training this week, though he downplayed the significance of this accomplishment.

"Well, I just had to ride at a certain pace for fifteen minutes during training. It wasn't really calculated. But it went pretty well," he explained.

When asked about his strategy for Mount Kigali, Evenepoel was measured in his response. "It depends on the situation. If you're there with 30 people, it's a different story than if you're there with 10 people."

"You reach that climb after four hours of racing. Many riders will already be in trouble there. From that moment on, the fun begins," he added.

Discussing race dynamics, Evenepoel expressed his expectations for how the event might unfold. "Before you know it, you're back at the finish line and the final lap begins. A lot can happen, but I still expect a war of attrition and elimination."

The Belgian is also mindful of the strength of Pogačar's UAE teammates. When questioned whether he would be racing against just Pogačar or the entire UAE squad, Evenepoel responded with a touch of humour.

"You'll have to ask them," he chuckled. "They'll definitely lend a hand. They did last year too. They shouldn't make a fuss about it. They had a good plan and it worked out well. But that was their full right."

His strategy will involve limiting UAE's presence at the front. "It will be important to have as few UAE men up front as possible, but that will be difficult, because they are in good form."

Beyond Pogačar, Evenepoel identified Tom Pidcock, Jay Vine, and Isaac del Toro as potential contenders, though he cautioned that "10 names can't win here." Ultimately, Evenepoel knows he must rely on his own abilities. "I have to rely on my own strength and try to read the race well," he concluded.

The Belgian also took a moment to praise Italy’s new U23 world champion Lorenzo Finn, who has made headlines with his precocious talent. “He impressed me. It’s his first year among the Under 23s, he’s 18 years old and I heard he was the youngest in the race, really remarkable. He won with a great performance, and his career has started off strongly with two gold medals at two World Championships: he has a great future ahead of him.”

Evenepoel added that Finn’s progression already points toward the elite level. “I heard he’ll stay another year with the young riders, but I’m sure that already in 2026 he’ll spend quite some time with us. He gives the impression of being a bright, intelligent guy, he doesn’t seem like the typical Italian to me,” he said with a smile.