"I am still far too young to be 100% assigned to being a domestique" - Ilan Van Wilder remains keen for Grand Tour chances of his own
Cycling
The Belgian talents of Remco Evenepoel and Ilan Van Wilder look like being the future of Soudal - Quick-Step's Grand Tour challenges. In 2024 however, they could work together at the Tour de France.
"They are gradually considering me as a permanent fixture and I am being given more responsibility. That's cool," Van Wilder tells HLN about his growing position within the Soudal - Quick-Step roster. "It's a matter of maturity. Physically, on track. Two Grand Tours have provided a bigger 'engine' and higher power needed to achieve results. Especially in the 2022 Vuelta, I had to pull out all the stops to compensate for the loss of a few teammates with corona in Remco's service. Even though it demanded a lot from my body, it worked well."
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After Evenepoel withdrew from the 2023 Giro d'Italia due to covid despite holding the Maglia Rosa at the time, Van Wilder impressed in his free role during the remainder of the race, eventually finishing 12th overall in the general classification.
"I will continue to do what I have been doing successfully for two years now: looking for the right balance. I deserve those opportunities, because I have proven that I can win races myself and I am still far too young to be 100% assigned to being a domestique," Van Wilder concludes. "Despite this, 'no Giro or Vuelta for my own account yet, no. I secretly hope for that before 2025. But this year I would also love to make my Tour debut. Very special, the dream of every rider. The hope is well-founded, the chance of final selection is quite high. But not yet certain. It depends on many factors. The list is quite long, but there are more that qualify. That will be a puzzle."
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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Dariusz08-11-2026 - Yeah, unreal.
parisbound0008-11-2026 - there needs to be space in life for pointless comments!Ketterechts08-11-2026
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