Remco Evenepoel’s change from Soudal-Quickstep to Purple Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe has resulted in probably the most profitable begin to a season of his profession, with three wins throughout the Mallorca Problem and two stage victories and the general on the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana.
The 26-year-old now has six wins to his 2026 tally in simply eight days of racing, however he counts solely 5.
„I do not depend a group time trial as a person victory. In any other case, I would have 75 or so victories now, as a substitute of 72,“ Evenepoel mentioned to VTM Nieuws. „So for example that is my fifth of the 12 months. But it surely’s an incredible begin, after all. I’ll attempt to maintain this up. Now I simply have to recuperate a bit, after which the UAE Tour will come fairly quickly.“
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Evenepoel was in a position to sail by the 94.7-kilometre closing stage on Sunday due to the presence of teammate Emil Herzog within the daylong breakaway.
When the final of the escapees weren’t caught earlier than the road, Herzog completed second within the dash and Evenepoel and teammate Giulio Pellizzari got here by simply two seconds later within the chase group, with Evenepoel sealing the general and Pellizzari ending third.
„It is nice to win my first stage race for my new group,“ Evenepoel mentioned. „It was already fairly clear alongside the way in which that the race was going to be fairly calm. I by no means acquired into bother. I feel we at all times had the scenario beneath management. We completed effectively. It was a bit hectic on the finish with the slippery asphalt and the numerous corners, however in the long run we completed safely. That is an important factor.
By comparability, Tadej Pogačar (UAE Workforce Emirates-XRG) won’t even begin his season for an additional month at Strade Bianche, and Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) suffered a crash and sickness over the previous few weeks and needed to scuttle plans to compete within the UAE Tour subsequent week. Evenepoel has positively began the 12 months with the higher hand on his Tour de France rivals even when it is nonetheless early days.
„What we have labored on rather a lot is already paying off. Am I apprehensive I am in form too early? No, I feel that, if I am a good winter athlete, I am at all times in fairly good condition within the first few weeks,“ Evenepoel mentioned. „I have not had any altitude camps but. I feel we’ll regularly work in the direction of the lightest weight. Meaning there’s nonetheless some room for enchancment.“
After his success, it will be comprehensible if Evenepoel or his group selected to proceed the momentum and add extra races to his calendar, however that is not presently the case. „No, we will follow the plan. First the UAE Tour, then an extended altitude coaching camp, after which Catalunya. After that, the Ardennes, my favorite classics, are coming.
„We’re not going to get overconfident and maintain taking it one step at a time. It is nice that we have already managed to safe this. Now it is time to look forward and attempt to win as a lot as doable.“
