Evenepoel likely to make Tour de France debut in 2024, Giro d'Italia in 2023

Remco Evenepoel is yet to be proven to be a Grand Tour contender, however there is confidence within Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl Team that he can develop into one. Patrick Lefevere has talked about the provisional Grand Tour calendar for the coming seasons, aswell as ambitions.

In an interview with La Dernière Heure Lefevere said: "I would like to see him again at the Giro before he discovers the Tour in 2024. But hey, maybe I'll change my mind. Only fools do not change their minds".

Evenepoel had his debut at the Giro d'Italia last year, however straight off a very lengthy recovery period after his 2020 Il Lombardia crash. He struggled when the race reached the high mountains, but will this year have a more focused approach to the Vuelta a España where he will be once again testing himself.

According to Lefevere, in 2023 he will do the Giro d'Italia once again, and likely only in 2024 will he be making his Tour de France debut. “I don't want to make comparisons, but riders like Chris Froome needed five or six Grand Tours to start winning. I am a patient person and Remco is only 22 years old," he justified.

“Last year we made the mistake of sending Remco to the Giro. That was premature. I don't want to make a mistake like that again. That's why we decided not to send him to the Tour this year," Lefevere also said. Having prepared for the classics in the first half of the season, the Belgian is now preparing for a more climbing-filled calendar which will be put to use in Spain in the coming month.

“The objective will be to see what he can do in the general classification. Otherwise there is no point in talking about Remco as a rider for the grand tours," Lefevere affirmed. "He cannot be learned without trying. It is true that the Spanish climbs are not a gift for him, but he may shine in other stages. There is also a time trial".