Will Remco Evenepoel try to break the hour record? "It certainly won't be this year"

Remco Evenepoel lines up at the Amstel Gold Race on Sunday. The Belgian will do so without teammate Giulio Pellizzari, who will ride the Tour of the Alps in preparation for the Giro d'Italia. The pair have hit it off, and the Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe leader had only good things to say about the talented Italian recently. He also shared his thoughts on a potential attempt at the hour record.

The relationship between Evenepoel and Pellizzari has developed quickly. "I met him during the winter training camps and we rode together for the first time at the Tour of Valencia," Evenepoel told La Gazzetta dello Sport. In the Spanish race, the Belgian finished first and his Italian teammate third. "He's a bit younger than me, but we share the same energy. He's cheerful, he gives you a boost, he's a really nice guy."

The 22-year-old Pellizzari has taken another step this year. After the Tour of Valencia he rode a superb Tirreno-Adriatico, nearly beating Mathieu van der Poel on the gravel stage and later finished second behind the Dutchman in stage four. In the hills he was one of the biggest challengers of overall winner Isaac Del Toro, finishing third on GC.

Evenepoel sees him performing well at the upcoming Giro d'Italia, where Pellizzari could be the sole team leader. "The moment he can think about a Giro podium is very close. And when you're ready for the top three, you can aim for the win. He has a fantastic future ahead of him, to become one of the best Grand Tour riders in the world."

Evenepoel's own focus is on the Tour de France, where he hopes to be in the mix with Tadej Pogačar and Jonas Vingegaard. Another topic of conversation is the hour record. Everyone knows the three-time world time trial champion is built for such an effort. Will he ever make an attempt? It seems the question is when, not if. The Cannonball of Schepdaal confirms as much.

But it could be a very long wait before we see him on the velodrome. It is certainly not yet in the diary. "Definitely not this year, not even in 2027. And besides, I've never spent much time on the track. We have someone like Dan Bigham in our team who was also a record holder in the discipline, but... As far as I'm concerned, if it happens, it won't be before 2030."

All of Belgium will hold its breath for that moment. In his home country, Evenepoel is always in the spotlight, as was clear once again after his announcement to ride the Tour of Flanders. He knows better than anyone how important rest and balance are in life, especially off the bike.

"Cycling is not for ever," he said. "Being a husband, being a father... that's more than that. That's how I see it, and I have to say I see the same philosophy reflected in the team. We're very serious, but when the 'work' is done, you have to enjoy the moments. We mustn't forget that, and the more you can enjoy the good times, the better you can handle the bad times."