Geraint Thomas calls Evenepoel Red Bull transfer 'the biggest move ever'

When they started talking about the 2026 transfers in their podcast, Rowe went straight to the obvious name: Remco Evenepoel.

“That is a big, big move,” Thomas reacted. “It has got to be the biggest move. I would not say ever, but actually, no, I would say ever. Money-wise as well, if you take that into account.”

Rowe did not argue. “Yeah, I mean, that is a shout, biggest move ever,” he replied. “It has got to be up there, has it not, in terms of which riders that prolific, that big in the sport have moved.”

Looking for comparisons of the size of the transfer, they ended up comparing it against Peter Sagan’s move away from Bora.

“Obviously, Sagan back in the day went from Bora to TotalEnergies,” Thomas said. “But he was out of contract for a start, and he had already had the best part of his career, put it that way. He was in the twilight of his career. Whereas Remco is just on that curve, slowly getting better, then rapid improvement, then sustained success.”

Evenepoel left Soudal Quick-Step despite still being under contract until the end of 2026, following the example set by riders such as Maxim Van Gils and Cian Uijtdebroeks. For Thomas, that kind of mid-contract exit is the clearest sign of how deals at the top of the sport have shifted.

“When we turned pro, two years was standard,” he said. “One year was not out of the blue, even for an experienced pro, and three years was a very long contract. Four years were almost never heard of. Now two, three is standard. Four is long. Five, six exist. With that comes more security for the riders, but higher risk for the team.”

Rowe pointed out that riders also take a risk when they sign long-term. “Even for the rider, it is risky, really,” he said. “Someone comes up, and they are like, ‘Let us get him in for five years because he is going to do something special.’ But if you have Pogačar in your team or someone else, it is risky for the rider as well. I have always been a bit baffled with that. If a guy is 23, 24, 25, it is kind of risky for them.”

The arrival of Evenepoel at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe raises an obvious question: how will they manage their Grand Tour leaders?

"It will be interesting to see how it goes with Roglič, Evenepoel and Lipowitz, will it not?” Thomas said. “With Roglič, I think it will be okay, but I think it is more Lipowitz. He is pretty chilled, he is a nice guy, but at the same time, he was third in the Tour. That dynamic is going to be interesting.”

“Mate, super interesting,” Rowe reacted. “Also, how are they going to split them three. Would they just be boring and say one in each, or do they say, ‘All right, let us try and go to the Tour with all of them.’ They still have Hindley, Vlasov, and Daniel Martinez still there. Mate, it is a hell of a team.”

Both former Ineos Grenadiers agreed on what should be the key priority of Evenepoel.

“Let's face it, there has been a bit of a thing about, ‘Is Remco doing the Giro,’” Thomas said. “Surely if you have spent all this money on someone, he has got to go to the Tour, no.”

“Yeah, surely, I one hundred per cent agree,” Rowe answered. “Your star rider, your marquee rider with that wage bill, has to go to the biggest bike race in the world.”