One year down and more to come for Remco Evenepoel at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe: 'He can still play an important role'

With no fewer than fourteen victories, including the Clásica de San Sebastián, the Amstel Gold Race, and the GP Québec, it was a fantastic year for Evenepoel. “It was great to have him on the team and get to know him,” team manager Zak Dempster tells Domestique. The Belgian finished his season by winning Chrono des Nations.

“Even though this was one of his most successful seasons, there are certainly lessons to be learned from this year that we can carry over into next season. We look forward to continuing the adventure.”

Of course, the folks at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe already knew who Evenepoel was, but it was impressive to witness his mentality up close. “He’s a driven man; winning is truly his top priority. So in everything he does, winning is central. I think the intensity with which he prepares and races is contagious for the whole team, and everyone has definitely noticed it.”

2026 was still a bit of a learning curve for the Belgian. He started racing as early as January, but decided to take a long break after the spring. It was a decision that raised a lot of eyebrows, but Evenepoel silenced the critics with a fantastic Tour de France. Dempster now knows there’s merit in that approach.

"He underperformed in the United Arab Emirates and didn't win in Catalonia, but at the same time, he continued to win races consistently during that period," said the Australian. "That certainly led to the decision: 'Let's take it easy and work our way up to the Tour slowly.' And I think that ultimately paid off."

Can we expect more of the same in 2027? “The decision to skip the Dauphiné was a very good one, and it may well have put him in the best shape of his life. It was truly remarkable to see him confirm that with his performances in the third week, even beating Pogacar in a mountain stage. That gives him—and us—confidence for the future.'

So it’s quite possible that Evenepoel will take it a bit easier in 2027 as well, but things will also be different compared to last season. This year, he was already racing in January, with three victories in Mallorca. It was a successful start, but don’t count on 2027 starting the same way.

"I think we'll need Remco in the future to be competitive in the biggest races, so I think his schedule will look a little different next year," said Demptser. "It’s important to give him a long, gradual build-up this winter so he’ll be in better shape. I think we can get him to a higher level this year than we did in the spring."

Evenepoel himself has already stated that he “wants to race less frequently.” It’s not yet clear which races he’ll compete in. But Dempster offers a hint. “Next year, we’ll be focusing on winning a Grand Tour, hopefully. But I definitely think he can still play an important role in the classics, including the Tour of Flanders.”