"Ideally I should ride in boxer shorts, but that's not a pretty sight" - Remco Evendepoel on his advantage of aerodynamic skin ahead of Tour de France time-trial

The 2024 Tour de France will be brought to an end in somewhat unfamiliar circumstances this afternoon, with an individual time-trial ending in Nice. Time-trial world champion Remco Evenepoel will have high hopes for a second stage win this Grand Tour as he confirms a podium finish on Tour de France debut.

As is often the case ahead of big time trials involving the Soudal - Quick-Step leader, the curious topic of a supposed aerodynamic advantage built into the very fabric of his skin has been raised in the Belgian press. In an attempt to take the most benefit of this, Evenepoel will wear as short shorts as can be possible.

"The shorter the pants, the better. Ideally I should ride in boxer shorts, but that's not a pretty sight, haha," the time-trial world champion explains in quotes collected by Wielerrevue, recalling how the tests first started on maximising his natural advantage back at the 2022 Vuelta a Espana, a Grand Tour won by the Belgian. "The only point there is comfort: the higher the pants go, the bigger the buttocks get. And at a certain point it does start to get tight. So in the Vuelta the idea was to have the pants come to just below the thickest point of my thighs."

"We have always found in our tests: the smoother a surface, the better. And the textile of the suits is normally smoother than skin. But I certainly don't want to say that Evenepoel is wrong. He is an intelligent guy, who thinks things through," assessed aero expert Bert Blocken to Het Nieuwsblad. "In the wind tunnel, you don't test a rider at full effort and therefore with dry, non-sweaty arms. We have also tested bricks in the tunnel, a porous material just like skin. Damp bricks also react differently than dry ones. It could be the same with skin. Skin is a complex matter: everyone has a different porosity."

We will find out later today if Evenepoel's aerodynamic skin can again prove fruitful this Tour de France!