Remco Evenepoel above all hopes that this off-season will go without any remarkable incidents for himself. Last winter, the Belgian superstar had to comeback from a training collision with postman car. For the young rider, it was already a third major injury in his career, adding to the trauma of 2020 Lombardia fall and 2024 Itzulia mass crash. The latest injury in particular has taken a toll on Evenepoel, who admitted that he had to return from a dark place last winter.
"I was initially afraid my career might be over due to the physical impact on the muscles and tendons in my right shoulder," Evenepoel said on the Café Koers podcast.
"That turned out to be unfounded, but the fall also had a mental impact. I was deeply depressed at the time. Having to go through rehabilitation during the winter, with its dark days and few hours of daylight, didn't make me happy. Was I depressed? That's a difficult thing to say about yourself, but perhaps subconsciously, I was."
"I spent entire days sitting on the couch, and whenever someone called or texted me, I experienced it as them bothering me or interfering in things that didn't concern them. In response, I started isolating myself. Even replying to a message felt like asking too much. Fortunately, once I was able to go outside again, walk, and exercise, that feeling quickly disappeared."
Still haunted by the crash
Despite the delayed start, Evenepoel was still able to claim the throne of world's best timetrialist for himself with dominant victories at both; World Championships in Kigali, and a week later also at the European Championships in Ardeche. In fact, the Belgian went undefeated in a regular time trial throughout the entire 2025 season.
However convincing are his performances in the physically very demanding time trials, Evenepoel admits that consequences of the injury are still affecting him in-race as well as in daily life:
"I still have difficulty lifting heavy things with my right hand. Lifting a suitcase or taking it off the baggage belt at the airport now always has to be done with my left. Even taking nutrition bars or gels out of the back pocket of my jersey is now only possible with my left. Luckily, I'm naturally left-handed," says Evenepoel.
Fresh start at Red Bull
Ahead of 2026, the 25-year-old made an important decision for his career - to leave Soudal - Quick-Step and strengthen the ambitious Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. Although Evenepoel still had a year on his contract with the Belgian team, all involved parties were able to find a satisfactory compromise. And thus, Evenepoel already gets to socialize with his new teammates.
"During team building, we had to change a car tire as quickly as possible and successfully complete a blind tasting of Red Bull flavors. My German still needs some work. Fortunately, the main language is English," laughs Evenepoel.
Remco Evenepoel congratulates Tadej Pogacar on his 5th successive Il Lombardia title
Looking forward to the season ahead, Evenepoel noted that the Amstel Gold Race might be his best shot at defeating Tadej Pogacar. An important quest as Evenepoel has unfinished business with the Slovenian who beat him in both Championship road races as well as at Il Lombardia by a margin.
"But I also believe I should be able to beat Pogacar in Liège, provided I'm in really good shape," he adds. "In any case, I don't plan on avoiding Pogacar in 2026. I won't be adapting my program to his."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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- It would likely be a very steep section of 4.1 km, not changing the average gradient considerably, with the climb remaining 10.1 km at 11.8%. It would reach 20% on the gravel. It would start 1.6 km in, and finish with 4.2 km left to climb (before the short final descent)
Rafionain-Glas02-11-2026
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