Battle for Quick-Step in 2023 Tour de France selections? "It is up to the team management to map it out" Jakobsen says amidst Evenepoel's debut rumours

Remco Evenepoel and Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team have for a long time hinted the Belgian would return to the Giro d'Italia in 2023, but rumours of decision changes have been ongoing, with a Tour de France debut being suggested. That could clash with Fabio Jakobsen's ambitions at the Grand Boucle.

“I can imagine that you want that as a world champion," Jakobsen told In De Leiderstrui. "To be honest, I haven’t thought much about it yet. It will become clear this winter. I don’t know what Remco would like, but I can imagine that you want to go to the Tour as a world champion.”

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Jakobsen was already involved in tensions this year as Mark Cavendish looked to get into the Tour de France lineup, and throughout much of the 2022 season there was internal drama from within the team with the Manxman not hiding his dissatisfaction. Jakobsen won a stage at the Tour, but has throughout the season proven to be one of the best sprinters in the peloton, and will be joining forces - albeit with expected separate calendars - with Tim Merlier in the coming season.

His return to the Tour de France is seemingly something that is widely agreed upon in the Belgian team, however with the recent rumours that Evenepoel could join in too, it could make things more difficult in terms of support for both their leaders. Following Binche-Chimay-Binche, Evenepoel said no plans were drawn out for the coming year. The routes of the Grand Tours for 2023 are yet to be announced aswell, however there is an ongoing effort to collect the views towards his possible debut at the Grand Boucle.

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“That’s not for me to decide. I do know that I am not Wout van Aert, so that will be difficult. In principle it should be possible, but what I say? It is up to the team management to map it out," Jakobsen continued. “That will start with Patrick [Levere], who will take the lead. He’s good at that, so I’ll hear about it in the winter.”

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