Is Evenepoel better off at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe? His old team boss has doubts: 'You can't buy the Tour'

Remco Evenepoel will continue his pursuit of the very highest level with Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe. And that, of course, means one thing above all else: the yellow jersey at the Tour de France. A new team, new domestiques, a new way of working. But will it work? Patrick Lefevere helped guide his young compatriot to the top, but harbours serious doubts.

At Soudal Quick-Step, Evenepoel often chose to combine the Spring Classics with the Grand Tours. Lefevere does not expect that approach to change quickly. “He says he’s focusing on the Tour, but maybe a few one-day races will still fall from the sky,” the Belgian told Sporza. This winter, rumours even surfaced about a possible appearance at the Tour of Flanders.

Vlaanderen's Mooiste has never featured the two-time Olympic champion, and the rumours were also played down for 2026. Ralph Denk and his management team insist that Evenepoel will not ride the race this year. “I think they’re just not saying it yet,” Lefevere remarks. “Although they have a lot of strong riders on that team. Could the programme still change? I don’t know. They’re Germans. We’ll see.”

Evenepoel has the heart of a lion and always races to win. That is no different in the Tour de France, but what does his former team boss expect? Lefevere believes the Belgian will face an uphill battle in his quest for yellow. “He says he wants to win the Tour and beat Tadej Pogacar. I wish him the best of luck.” In 2024, Evenepoel finished third overall in the Tour; this year, he was forced to abandon.

“I’m still a supporter, you know,” Lefevere adds. “I discovered him when he was 17. I’m not someone who just throws seven years of shared experiences into the bin like a piece of paper. In my heart, I remain a fan. He has the capabilities, but I think Pogacar is still on a different level at the moment. Remco has already had a lot of bad luck. If he now has a good winter and can do what he wants, then we’ll see.”

A new team can work wonders. “I don’t know if it’s better than at our team - or my former team, I should say. We always did our very best as well, but with the resources we had. But how do they say it? New air makes you eat. They have more money and they can do what they want, but you can’t buy the Tour. He’ll have to do it with his legs and his head.”

Moreover, the team’s strength could also become a curse. “He probably has a stronger team now, but with us he was the sole leader. He says he has no problem with that now, but knowing him… And that other guy (Florian Lipowitz, ed.) is German. I’m looking forward to it. If they get along well, something could happen. But I’m not a fortune teller.”