"I am not sure that he can win the Tour" - Johan Museeuw skeptical of Remco Evenepoel's chances of succeeding at the Tour de France

The Tour de France is in recent years been once again the absolute target of the absolute best stage-racers in the peloton. With Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogacar in control of the yellow jersey, Belgian legend Johan Museeuw does not believe that the chances of Remco Evenepoel winning the Tour de France are high.

"It will be very difficult. He is now very good at one-day races, which he wins in fantastic fashion, such as Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Clásica San Sebastián. At the moment I am not sure that he can win the Tour, because I believe that riders who win the Tour are really special," Museuew said in the Geraint Thomas Cycling Club. "There are only three or four in the peloton and currently they are Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard."

Evenepoel has had a very successful season, however the Grand Tours had unexpected obstacles. The Giro d'Italia was his main goal, but it was ended prematurely by a Covid-19 infection which didn't allow him to test himself. At the Vuelta a España he suffered a bad day on stage 13 and from there onwards chased stage wins. It is unclear what his plans for 2024 are as he is set to make a Tour de France debut, but the unattractive - for him and Soudal-Quick-Step - route may see him having it as a secondary goal, following a return to the Giro d'Italia.

"Moreover, there are very few riders in the peloton who go to the Tour and say they have a ninety to 95 percent chance of winning. Evenepoel currently has a sixty percent chance of winning, so he has it in him somewhere," Museeuw argues with Thomas. The duo joked that his chances would be higher at INEOS Grenadiers but he does believe that would improve the time-trial World Champion's chances: "If he goes to another team he has a better chance, but that's another discussion for another podcast.”