ANALYSIS | Remco Evenepoel’s head-to-head record with new teammates Roglic, Lipowitz, Hindley

Remco Evenepoel’s long-anticipated move to Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe was finally made official on Tuesday. It’s a transfer that has been whispered about in the corridors of the cycling world for years, and this week, it became reality. The Belgian superstar will leave Soudal – Quick-Step before the end of his contract to join a team operating in a different financial universe. It ends one of the sport's longest-running sagas, with a deal reportedly in the making for at least four years.

Evenepoel’s current team, Soudal – Quick-Step, has always punched above its weight. But when it comes to general classification (GC) ambitions, budget matters. Their estimated budget of €30 million has kept them competitive, but it pales in comparison to the sport's biggest financial powerhouses. UAE Team Emirates is said to operate on around €50 million annually, while Visma | Lease a Bike comes in at over €40 million. Now, Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe joins that elite financial tier.

The difference in budget isn’t about what Evenepoel will earn, he likely could have commanded a strong salary anywhere. It’s about what Red Bull can invest in the riders around him. That’s been the real issue. Evenepoel entered the Tour de France in 2025 with a squad that simply wasn’t on the same level as UAE’s or Visma’s. Tadej Pogacar had the likes of Joao Almeida, Adam Yates, Jhonatan Narvaez, and Tim Wellens as support. Jonas Vingegaard had Wout van Aert, Matteo Jorgenson, Simon Yates, and Sepp Kuss. These are the kinds of riders who can help win yellow jerseys. Evenepoel didn’t have that kind of backup, but at Red Bull, he might.

It won’t be a free ride, though, as Evenepoel’s future teammates include serious GC contenders, and internal competition could get intense. Florian Lipowitz, in particular, has changed the team dynamics. When Evenepoel abandoned the Tour de France last month, Lipowitz stepped into the spotlight, donning the white jersey and finishing third overall. His breakthrough season has made it clear: Evenepoel won’t be handed team leadership by default.

This internal battle is exactly what Belgian analyst Jan Bakelants flagged. "Timing-wise, this isn't the best moment for a move to Red Bull: Florian Lipowitz's breakthrough makes everything more complicated," Bakelants said. "Two months ago, you would have thought Remco would be the absolute leader, but now he's going to have to assert his position. Because how do you distinguish between the two? I'm still convinced that an Evenepoel in top form is a better rider than Lipowitz, but does everyone see it that way?"

It’s not just Lipowitz, either. Primoz Roglic is still very much a factor. At 36, he may be in the latter stages of his career, but he proved at this year’s Tour that he remains a major threat, especially in the mountains. With four Vuelta titles, a Giro win, an Olympic gold medal, and a near-miss at the Tour in 2020, his palmares speaks for itself. Slovenian cycling expert Bogdan Fink made it clear: “I think he hasn’t had his final say. He’s still racing, and he’s not ready to take on a mentoring role just yet.”

Evenepoel vs. Roglic is one of the most intriguing rivalries in modern cycling, and PCS Head-to-Head stats show how closely matched they are. In stages and GCs where both have started, Evenepoel has finished ahead of Roglic 63 times, while Roglic has come out ahead 62 times. It's nearly a dead heat.

In terms of stage races that both have completed, there have only been six, and Evenepoel has never won a stage race where Roglic also finished. Roglic claimed victory at the Tour de Romandie (2019), Volta a Catalunya (2023), and the Critérium du Dauphiné (2024), all with Evenepoel in the field. Evenepoel’s only finished ahead of Roglic on GC at the Itzulia Basque Country (2022) and Paris-Nice (2024), but only when Roglic didn’t win either.

Evenepoel’s sole Grand Tour victory came at the 2022 Vuelta a España, a race where Roglic abandoned due to a crash. In contrast, Roglic’s Grand Tour wins have often come against elite fields, but Evenepoel was still ahead of Roglic when the Slovenian abandoned the Spanish grand tour in 2022.

Roglic will not move aside for Evenepoel, but the way in which they form a relationship could be pivotal for Evenepoel’s future. Roglic is a man who has suffered the most brutal of sporting setbacks, and is hardened to the realities of cycling. Evenepoel has matured impressively in recent seasons, but there is still a hint of the raw, youthfulness that sometimes sees him make rash comments. If Roglic and Evenepoel gel, the Slovenian will have some invaluable advice for the Belgian.

Then there’s Florian Lipowitz. The German rider is six years younger than Roglic and one year younger than Evenepoel. Lipowitz and Evenepoel are the winners of the last two young riders classifications at the Tour, and both have stood on the podium. While Lipowitz’s palmares (three wins) is dwarfed by Evenepoel’s (64), his trajectory is undeniable.

In stages and GC placements where both have competed, Evenepoel has finished ahead of Lipowitz 23 times to 12. That may sound convincing, but in the two stage races they’ve actually completed together, the score is even: Lipowitz edged Evenepoel at the 2025 Dauphiné (third vs. fourth), while Evenepoel was clearly stronger at the 2023 Vuelta a San Juan Internacional (sixth vs. 57th).

Lipowitz’s rapid rise is possibly the greatest headache Evenepoel will have to endure in his early months at the team. Most analysts would argue that Evenepoel has more talent than Lipowitz, but the German showed in 2025 a level of consistency that Evenepoel has rarely been able to achieve. This will be one of the stories of 2026.

And then there’s Jai Hindley. The 2022 Giro d’Italia champion and 2023 Tour de France stage winner has become something of a forgotten man in the Red Bull lineup, but he remains dangerous. Evenepoel holds a clear advantage in their head-to-head record, finishing ahead 74 times to Hindley’s 33. In seven GC events completed together, Evenepoel leads 5-2, including wins at the 2022 Vuelta and 2020 Tour de Pologne.

Hindley may not be the headline act, but his presence adds another layer of complexity. He’s still only 29, and with nine career wins, including a Grand Tour, he has the credentials to lead a team in any major race. Most recently, at Il Lombardia 2024, Evenepoel finished second while Hindley came in 24th, and the Belgian will very much be expected to win this head to head. Still, don’t count Hindley out.

So how will this all play out at Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe? The team is currently fifth in the UCI rankings with 9985.5 points, narrowly ahead of Evenepoel’s current team, Soudal – Quick-Step (9386.2 points). Both remain far behind UAE Team Emirates – XRG, which leads with a commanding 26200.8 points. But that could change.

Evenepoel has the talent, results, and pedigree. What remains to be seen is whether the team’s management can balance the ambitions of Lipowitz, Roglic, Hindley, and Evenepoel all under one roof. As Bakelants put it, "Sporting manager Sven Vanthourenhout will have a lot of work to do to get them all on the same page."

What’s clear is that Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe have gone all-in. They’ve signed not just a rider, but a truly special athlete. Whether it delivers Grand Tour glory will depend on how well the team balances its considerable internal power, and whether they can find a way to outmuscle the current top two.