"I would rather finish a fighting second and be asked what on earth we are doing" - Evenepoel's Tour de France ambitions blasted as Van Hooydonck criticises Red Bull
CyclingWednesday, 26 August 2026 at 12:29
Remco Evenepoel's second place at the 2026 Tour de France has been criticised by Nathan van Hooydonck, who questioned why both Red Bull - BORA Hansgrohe and the rider himself didn't attempt to challenge Tadej Pogacar's grip on the yellow jersey.
While admitting that ambition of beating Pogacar borders along the lines between unrealistic and bullish, the former Visma | Lease a Bike rider claimed that a second place wouldn't keep him pedalling as he urged Evenepoel and others to look upwards.
"There is a thin line between realistic and naive hope, but we are the only team trying to win. I would rather finish a fighting second and be asked what on earth we are doing, than say after stage four that we are going for second place," van Hooydonck, now part of the Visma staff, said.
Noting in a media preview alongside Red Bull's Sven Vanthourenhout, he couldn't get over how he didn't select his own rider as his pick to win the Tour before Pogacar's ultimate victory - citing that he chose Jonas Vingegaard.
Van Hooydonck couldn't understand Remco Evenepoel approach
"I was sitting next to Sven Vanthourenhout on Vive le Vélo, who is a team manager at Red Bull BORA-hansgrohe. We had to predict who would win the Tour de France.
"I said Jonas, while Sven said Pogacar. I was genuinely surprised and asked why he didn't say Remco."
Digging deeper into the subject, Van Hooydonck reiterated how a team member shouldn't be motivated by second place and should search for a competitive edge in the race of Pogacar's strength.
"Of course. I couldn't sell it to myself to be away from home for three weeks just to participate. We ride to win. If someone ultimately turns out to be better, then that is sport."
Jonas Vingegaard
Van Hooydonck reflects on Vingegaard's Tour de France
Breaking down the Tour a month later, the Belgian admitted that Visma and Vingegaard were surprised by how much time he took in a defining stage 6, with a descent and shallow climb to the finish making a huge difference.
Just over a week later, Vingegaard crashed out on a day the team were controlling the race and hoping to take a dent into Pogacar's lead. The Dane broke his collarbone in a crash that ultimately ended his season. Providing an update, Van hooydonck said that he is still recovering but will be training this year ahead of the 2027 season.
"We lost more time over the Tourmalet than expected. That just wasn't good. We hadn't expected Pogacar to be able to gain so much time on the descent and that final climb, but that had mainly to do with how hard Pogacar was riding.
"He is really on the mend, but he is not yet fully recovered. He will of course still cycle this year, but he will not be racing anymore."
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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