Bradley Wiggins urges Evenepoel to leave Soudal Quick-Step: "Individually he has the qualities to win the Tour"

Pogacar appears to be the absolute top favorite, and Vingegaard seems to be the rider closest to challenging the world champion. Wiggins predicts three tough weeks for Evenepoel. “Remco is a special rider. Of course it will be difficult, but he has the experience from last year. He knows he can last three weeks. But he has to race patiently.”

The 2012 Tour winner knows how Evenepoel can optimize his chances. “He needs to take advantage if there’s a cat-and-mouse game between Pogacar and Vingegaard. In the mountains, he has to hang on as long as possible and then use the time trials to make up time.” Stage five already features the time trial in Caen, where Evenepoel – just like in the Dauphiné – might be able to gain significant time on his rivals.

“It’s important that he remains patient because the race is decided in the third week,” Wiggins predicts. “Just like last year, he needs to fly a bit under the radar. He mustn’t forget that he has weapons of his own, like his time trial. The other two are jealous of that, too. If he has a good day, he can match them. He’s also coming back from an injury, so I think he will reach a level at the Tour that we haven’t seen from him yet this year.”

As much as Wiggins praises Evenepoel, the Brit is far less enthusiastic about his team. “Is Soudal Quick-Step strong enough to be a team with a potential Tour winner?” the former Tour champion wonders. “Especially now that Patrick (Lefevere ed.) is gone.” To really stand a chance in the most important race in cycling, a transfer might be a good option according to Wiggins. “Maybe he should consider moving elsewhere.”

“Look at the makeup of teams like Visma | Lease a Bike and UAE. They have domestiques who could win grand tours themselves. Soudal Quick-Step isn’t on that level,” Wiggins believes. He even has ideas for potential destinations. “Moving to a team like INEOS or Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe could take him to the next level, because individually he has the qualities to win the Tour.”

Regardless of which team Evenepoel rides for, Wiggins also points out the pressure the Belgian carries from his home country. “You shouldn’t forget that either. The first Belgian Tour winner in years. Unless you count my win in 2012, because technically I was the last Belgian winner,” jokes the ex-pro born in Ghent.