Johan Museeuw: 'For Evenepoel, Monuments are more realistic than the Tour'

Speaking on the Domestique Hotseat, Museeuw pointed to the growing expectations around Evenepoel following his podium at the Tour of Flanders, and how quickly the conversation shifted towards Paris Roubaix.

“He did great in Flanders. Third place after Pogačar and Van der Poel was really great,” said Museeuw. “And then everybody say immediately, yeah now he has to do Roubaix.”

The Belgian dismissed that idea, stressing that Evenepoel’s spring had been built with a clear structure. “Flanders was planned… they have planned it. But Roubaix was not planned.”

While Museeuw did not rule out a future appearance in Roubaix, he underlined the specific demands of the race, both physically and tactically.

“Roubaix you have a little bit more risk,” he said, before adding: “Maybe one day he will do Roubaix. But it’s not yet the moment.”

Instead, Museeuw sees Evenepoel’s focus lying elsewhere, with the Belgian already looking towards the biggest prize in stage racing.

“In his head he’s thinking about the Tour de France. To win or to be on the podium,” Museeuw explained.

However, the three time Paris-Roubaix winner was candid in his assessment of what that challenge looks like in the current era. “My opinion, it will be easier to win monuments than to win the Tour de France for him,” he said. “To win the Tour de France will be not so easy.”

The reason, according to Museeuw, is the level set by the sport’s dominant Grand Tour riders, with Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard continuing to define the standard. “With Vingegaard and Pogačar… it will be complicated,” he added.

By contrast, Museeuw believes Evenepoel’s profile is well suited to one day racing, where his explosiveness and racing style could translate more directly into victories.

“To win monuments like Flanders, like Amstel Gold Race… he has a big chance to do that,” he said.

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