"If there’s a chance, we won’t let it slip" - Could Remco Evenepoel use Mathieu van der Poel to help pressure Tadej Pogacar at Tour de France?

If anyone has the capability of challenging the Tadej Pogacar - Jonas Vingegaard dominance over the Tour de France in the 2020s, Remco Evenepoel is arguably the rider best placed. There is still plenty of work to do to for the Belgian to close the gap to the two, multiple-time Maillot Jaune winners though.

“Everything has gone well. Preparing for a race like this means tweaking and adjusting things every day. It’s not like you make a plan and stick to it rigidly, but that’s not just our team — I spoke to riders from other teams in Tignes too," Soudal - Quick-Step DS Klaas Lodewyck says of Evenepoel's preparation, in conversation with Wieler Revue.

In particular, Lodewyck believes Evenepoel's recent success at the Belgian national championships was a resoundingly positive sign. "It was great to see Remco in action on Friday in the time trial, and then again on Sunday in the national championships road race. On Sunday, he might even have been a bit too good. But well, better that than having to withdraw early with a bad feeling.”

Whilst Evenepoel himself has proven himself as one of the peloton's leading stars over recent years, the Belgian has still been a noted step below Pogacar in the majority of their meetings on the road. "But that applies to Vingegaard now as well, and I’m thinking of all the other guys in the race," Lodewyck counters. "It’s simply a peloton packed with top talent and a few individuals who are even stronger than the rest. It’s not always enjoyable, but it’s motivating to keep working hard and maybe one day beat them.”

“Everyone is cautious with their statements, because the most important thing is reaching the podium in Paris. You don’t want to crash in the first week, where so many factors are beyond your control. A fall can happen in an instant," he continues. "But if there’s a chance, we won’t let it slip. It’s just hard to say beforehand: ‘This is how we’re going to do it.’”

In the quest to put pressure on Pogacar in the early stages of the Tour de France, could Evenepoel turn to a familiar rival - Mathieu van der Poel? “We talked about it again this week and said it’s good that they get along, but the Tour de France is the Tour de France. At the end of the day, it’s every rider for themselves," says Lodewyck. "But on the first day of the Dauphiné, you saw that Mathieu and Remco wanted to stay ahead together. Hopefully, we can turn that to our advantage one day.”

Soon enough, the time for talking will be over. “These days before the Tour are frustrating for the riders, but also for the staff," Lodewyck concludes. "It’s the build-up to the Tour de France, and once you’re there, everyone has their own role. For now, it’s a bit of rushing around for both riders and staff. As far as we’re concerned, we’re ready for it to start.”