Evenepoel struggles with his power output and complains about transfer drought at Quick-Step: "Landa isn’t going to keep racing until he’s 60 either"

Evenepoel’s year has already been eventful. He missed the first part of the spring due to a heavy crash in winter, and then he also crashed in the Critérium du Dauphiné. “Building up” has been the word of the year so far. “In recent weeks, it’s also been a matter of finding the right balance between rest and training. But overall, I do feel stronger, yes. Only… I’m not the only one,” he laughs in conversation with Jan Bakelants for HLN. “Everyone is stepping up.”

It seems as if riders are making huge leaps in performance every year. The two-time world champion also notices a big difference. “Three or four years ago, if you climbed at 7 watts per kilo, you’d ride away from the competition by two minutes. Now you have to hold that for twenty minutes! And still you’re only just hanging on, or you’re already a minute behind, especially with Tadej Pogacar. It’s really crazy.”

It highlights an issue for Evenepoel. Multiple crashes – not just the one in December, but also the crash into the ravine during the Tour of Lombardy – have led to an inconsistent training schedule, which has resulted in less progress in his training values. “Expressed in watts per kilo, I haven’t improved since my Vuelta win in 2022 and the period after that, when I was really at my best and riding with plenty to spare. Not even in last year’s Tour.”

“I’m currently at a sort of ceiling that I’m struggling to raise. I especially have trouble with changes in pace on climbs. If the pace is high and then they add another hard effort for five minutes, I can still manage. But that extra minute when the GC contenders, who are riding to win, fully accelerate to make the difference and then settle back into their rhythm – that really costs me dearly.”

It’s not just Evenepoel himself noticing that he’s struggling; his team is also finding it hard to cope with the dominance of UAE Team Emirates – XRG and Visma | Lease a Bike. In tough stages, the team leader can quickly end up isolated. “But I think we do have some rouleurs with us who can be extremely important in such stages. Cattaneo, for example. A Schachmann in great shape – preferably the version from the Tour of the Basque Country, not the Dauphiné – should be able to do that too. And a strong, well-positioned Van Wilder is always worth his weight in gold.”

However, for the future, some additions are needed if Evenepoel wants to keep competing with the others. Rumors about riders like Jasper Stuyven and Dylan van Baarle joining don’t mean much to the team leader, as they’re mainly being brought in for the classics squad. There's a deafening silence, when it comes to new climbers. “It’s hard for me to go into detail about this, but… it’s a bit disappointing, yeah,” sighs Evenepoel about the eerily quiet transfer market. “Landa did sign a new contract. But Mikel isn’t going to keep racing until he’s sixty either.”

Arkéa-B&B Hotels is facing significant problems, which could create some exceptional opportunities there. Riders like Cristián Rodríguez and Kévin Vauquelin could be welcome reinforcements. “They’re not the absolute best climbers, but they are guys who consistently finish in the top fifteen in their races, and on a good day even in the top ten. If those types can stay injury-free, they can progress with us and really blossom. That already happened with Louis Vervaeke, for example. Same story with Ilan Van Wilder, who is now an incredibly strong rider.”

Evenepoel knows he shouldn’t expect miracles. The Belgian team was once one of the best in the world but has now slipped more into the middle tier. The Wolfpack simply doesn’t have the same firepower as other teams. “Of course, the team has to take the economic reality into account, which means we don’t have the same financial muscle as, say, UAE or Visma-Lease a Bike. It’s not up to me to decide, obviously, but...”

A leader with Remco Evenepoel’s status deserves a team that can support him deep into the finale. The Belgian himself hopes that new reinforcements will come soon. “If we really want more control and aim to win Grand Tours, we’ll need to bring in some more strong climbers, I fear. In any case, let’s make the best of this Tour.”