306 watts for 5 hours at 63Kg - Remco Evenepoel on what it takes to be competitive against Tadej Pogacar

Remco Evenepoel has in a recent interview provided massive amounts of insight into his mentality, training, ambitions moving forward and even some of his racing data. Besides hinting at a possible debut at Milano-Sanremo and Tour of Flanders, the Olympic Champion has talked about his wattages at the European Championships and has also admitted that he may be able to evolve further if he can avoid injuries or ilnesses.

"I knew I was going into the Tour in less good shape than I would have been in 2024. My body wasn't ready to fight for the general classification for three weeks. That's what I had communicated to the team, and in hindsight, I should have made other plans," Evenepoel said in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws. Here, he also discussed how during the Tour he had to be keeping his negotiations with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe a secret and how all of the chaos surrounding him added to the fatigue which eventually saw him leave the race.

It was a period of great difficulty for the Belgian, after winning a stage in the first week (the time trial) but not having the necessary base to go through with three weeks of racing at the highest level. A great stage-racer, but not a natural Grand Tour specialist, Evenepoel suffered multiple fractures in a crash last December and the lack of training throughout the winter was felt later in the year.

"Some guys copy everything, even altitude training. New pros no longer have 10% room for growth because they've already trained, competed, and followed too demanding a diet at the junior and under-23 levels," he said regarding the upcoming generation, of which he was previously part of. "In the long term, this will lead to a decline in their overall level. And to increasingly shortened careers. You can't keep pushing your body to the limit."

In the end of the season, Evenepoel showed his very best level once again, time and time again. First of which was at the time trial World Championships, where he took the gold medal and also had the pleasure of overtaking Tadej Pogacar during his effort.

"At the time, I wasn't thinking about it, and only later did I understand what I had actually done: I had overtaken the strongest rider in the world with an advantage no one would have ever imagined. It was the perfect day."

On the road though, is it possible to match the Slovenian? "At the European Championships, weighing 63.5 kilograms, I maintained an average of 306 watts for five hours," he reveals. There, he finished second, 31 seconds behind Pogacar. "In our case, it happens in periods like this, but things are changing. I spoke to Gianni Moscon about this, and he told me that eight years ago, when he finished third at the Lombardy, he averaged around 200 watts. Today, however, you need at least 290 to finish second (Evenepoel was second this year at Il Lombardia, and has perhaps hinted that those were his numbers, ed.)."

Is it possible to improve however at such a high level? Evenepoel has no doubt: "It's possible through specific, extremely intense training. I've rarely, if ever, managed to do so in recent years, due to so many accidents, injuries, rehabilitation, and a lack of solid foundations".

"After having a fairly quiet winter, I really want to work hard on this aspect. If I can do it the way I say, then I could make two or three steps forward compared to last season. It won't be easy, but defeats only give me the energy to keep going. It's not in my nature to choose the easy path, and I certainly won't do it in 2026."

It has been widely rumoured that Evenepoel could ride either Milano-Sanremo or Tour of Flanders this year, as he could be well adapted to a top result as Tadej Pogacar as shown. First and foremost are his Grand Tour plans however: "My impressions are very good, and my calendar will be ready by January 1st. For 2026, there's a plan A with the Classics and the Tour and a plan B with the Giro-Tour. Both are on the table, but we're waiting to know the Giro route before deciding".

But there is interest in the spring classics. "The Classics would complete my palmares, and that's why I've talked about it with the team," he admits. "I'd like to explore the Spring Classics a little more. Maybe not this year, but someday in the near future," however.

"I'd like to do the Milan-San Remo and the Tour of Flanders, and maybe even Paris-Roubaix. The first two suit me better and are easier to combine with the Ardennes Classics, but in any case, we're talking about the future, not the present."