Gilbert on Evenepoel’s transfer: "He surrounded himself with people who said yes to him, no matter the circumstances"

Gilbert fully supports Evenepoel's decision. “Remco is right to step out of his comfort zone,” Gilbert told Le Soir. “The financial resources will be completely different. I'm not talking about the salary he will receive, but about the opportunities in terms of research, development, training, the quality of coaching, and so on. He will have a more solid and richer technical and technological base, which is necessary for the progress he is aiming for.”

The world time trial champion will therefore be taking a step forward in technical and financial terms, but it is also essential for him to move to a new environment. “I get the impression that in recent months at Soudal Quick-Step, he has mainly been focusing on his performance,” explains the former world champion. “The team didn't really have any tools left to help him move forward. In fact, he had surrounded himself with people who said yes to him, regardless of the circumstances, regardless of the choices.”

Gilbert thinks that Evenepoel will no longer be alone at the top of the mountain, but that there will be more competition. “From now on, I think he will feel a bit like he did at the beginning of his career, when he joined Quick-Step (2019) and had to earn his place in our selection. Next season, at Red Bull-BORA, he will have to fight to survive in a team that is intrinsically stronger than the team he has worked for until now.

Gilbert is not speaking out of resentment, but from experience. "After six years at Française des Jeux, I felt good too. I was in a comfort zone, I had reliable teammates, but I still chose to leave for Lotto. To get back on track, I chose to question myself, even if it meant putting myself in danger. Then I had to regain my place in a different, more competitive environment. And we've seen where that led..." At Lotto, the now 43-year-old Belgian won two editions of the Tour of Lombardy, two Amstel Gold Races, Liège-Bastogne-Liège, and the Flèche Wallonne, among other victories.

There will be many changes for Evenepoel at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, but some factors will remain familiar. Such as the bike: both teams are supplied by Specialized. “It's crucial! If he had had to start all over again on a different bike, with a different brand, to find his perfect time trial position, that would have been a step backwards. Here, he has everything under control, and that's huge.”

Tactically, everything is also in order at the German team, where Evenepoel is also taking his team manager, Klaas Lodewyck, with him. "BORA is undoubtedly not the team that dominates everything in a single season, as UAE is doing now or Visma did before, but tactically, I think they are very good. We've seen it in recent seasons in the Giro, with the success of Jai Hindley, or more recently in the Tour, with perfectly executed moves. And that, this developed tactical aspect, is what Remco has been missing until now."