‘A big step forward' - Evenepoel answers steep climb critics with emotional Tour de France summit victory

The day was overshadowed by Jonas Vingegaard's crash 21 kilometres from the finish, which forced the Dane out of the race. Evenepoel spoke to the media at the summit.

Remco Evenepoel was full of emotion after taking the first Tour de France road stage victory of his career, complementing his two ITT victories from the 2024 and 2025 editions of the Tour.

“It's amazing. I'm literally trembling with emotion. It's been a hell of a day. I was actually feeling really bad in the beginning, but I really got better and better during the day,” Evenepoel said in his post race interview.

Evenepoel was full of praise for the ‘GOAT’ Tadej Pogačar and felt the victory against the UAE duo of the Slovenian and his Mexican teammate was a step forward in his career.

“You have to understand that I'm racing with the best guy ever, the best rider ever, and he has been doing a hell of a climb to try to win the stage with Isaac.

“For me, it's a big step forward that I can follow this pace because it was a crazy hard pace.”

Evenepoel also proved several critics wrong with his victory on stage 15, with the steep gradients of the climb considered his supposed kryptonite in Grand Tours ever since his GC victory at the 2022 Vuelta a España.

“I always get so much criticism about how I cannot survive steep climbs and this and that. It just feels amazing for myself and everybody around me.

Del Toro attacked twice inside the final kilometre in an attempt to break Evenepoel and Pogačar, but the Belgian answered both moves.

He followed Del Toro's wheel before launching his sprint on the flatter closing 400 metres. The Belgian managed to hold off Pogačar, who perhaps was keeping his powder dry.

“I was not really expecting any more attacks from Isaac, but he went on the last steep part. It was a pretty hard attack, and then he went again with 400 metres to go.

“That was, in the end, the perfect way for me to start my sprint. I just tried to keep my momentum and go as hard as possible to the finish line,” Evenepoel clarified.

The Belgian also reflected on the abandonment of two time Tour de France champion Jonas Vingegaard, who left the 2026 Tour after crashing with 21 kilometres to go.

“It's really bad news for him in the first place, for his team and also for the race that he's out. It's something you never wish on anybody. But after that, you have to refocus and try to go for the maximum,” stated Evenepoel.

Speaking to NOS, Evenepoel dismissed Tadej Pogačar’s suggestion that the crash may have been linked to the 2am doping control from Saturday night.

“I think Visma Lease a Bike simply entered that village at very high speed and did not know exactly where the traffic islands were. It was an error of judgement, which is only human. These things can happen, but unfortunately this time it involved one of the favourites.”

With the second rest day of the 2026 Tour on Monday, Evenepoel and his Red Bull team will recuperate before heading towards the French Swiss border for an effort against the clock.

The current ITT world champion is bound to be the big favourite as he aims to cement his second place in the general classification after taking the position of the abandoned Vingegaard.

“We have a good rest day and then a beautiful day on Tuesday, where I will try to go again for a stage.

“It's amazing that I am finding my best legs during this Tour. I hope I can recover well from this one and then go into the final week.”