“Is Soudal - Quick-Step strong enough” - Wiggins urges Evenepoel to consider team switch ahead
Cycling
Bradley Wiggins has backed Remco Evenepoel to challenge for
the yellow jersey in future editions of the Tour de France, but only if he
starts to think bigger about his long-term team options.
The 2012 Tour winner praised Evenepoel’s trajectory,
highlighting his white jersey win and stage victory on debut at the 2024 Tour,
followed by a golden double at the Paris Olympics. But Wiggins believes that if
the Belgian wants to win cycling’s most prestigious prize, his current team
might be a limiting factor.
“Remco is a special rider. Of course it will be difficult,
but he now has the experience of last year. He knows that he can keep it up for
three weeks,” Wiggins told Sporza. “Remco is also returning from an injury, so
I think that he will probably reach a level in the Tour de France that we have
not seen this year.”
Evenepoel is set to line up against the sport’s two dominant
stage racers in Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, and Wiggins is under no
illusions about how tough that will be. But he believes the Belgian could
benefit from the dynamics between the pair.
“Remco needs to take advantage of a possible cat-and-mouse
game between Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard. He needs to hang on as long as
possible uphill and then use the time trials to make up time.”
“He mustn't forget that he also has weapons, such as his
time trial. The other two are jealous of that too. When he has his day, he can
put his foot next to them.”
However, Wiggins raised doubts about Evenepoel’s support
structure at Soudal – Quick-Step, especially in light of Patrick Lefevere’s
departure and the team’s lack of high-calibre climbers, particularly this year
without Mikel Landa.
“Is Soudal - Quick-Step strong enough to be a team with a
potential overall winner? Especially now that Patrick has left. Maybe he should
look for other places,” Wiggins said. “Look at the composition of teams like
Visma–Lease a Bike and UAE. They have riders as domestiques who can win major
tours themselves. Soudal - Quick-Step is not at that level.”
He pointed to Red Bull – Bora – Hansgrohe and INEOS
Grenadiers as teams with the strength in depth to give Evenepoel the support he
needs. “A move to a team like Ineos or Red Bull–Bora–Hansgrohe could lift him
to that next level. Because individually he has the qualities to win the Tour.”
Read also
Fin MajorCycling Journalist
Fin Major is a UK-based writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2024. He is the site’s main writer for FAQs and evergreen explainers and has written around 2,000 pieces for the platform. Alongside this work, he focuses on in-depth analysis and covers the biggest races on the calendar, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, providing clear context around performance trends, tactics, and key storylines.
In his reporting, Fin uses reputable data sources such as 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. Outside of writing, Fin is an active cyclist, which supports his practical understanding of the sport and its demands.
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- many people advise him to grow slowly and rather do giro and/or vuelta instead of tdf. but i can totally understand that he is not satisfied with taking over once pogi declines, but instead beat him in his prime. so if he goes for tdf again, i‘m all for it. let‘s hope that pogi recovers soon!Ketterechts07-11-2026
- So gracious to offer something no-one would be prepared to pay for. The Giro is not the Tour and doesn’t command the same interest or attract the same “elite” (those willing to pay to be a part of something they consider has ego boosting potential). Roadside viewing will always largely remain free for everyone outside circuits. Introduction of a symbolic entrance to mountain climbs is worthy of exploration. Asking 1-2€ isn’t going to repulse real fans (most will spend 50-100€ on their outing that day all things included) but will prevent a portion of the total knobhead thrillseekers who will join in any large gathering as long as it’s free, just because they’re attracted to crowds, without which it it difficult for them to work up their anti-social behaviour.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- How is radio going to help when someone went over a cliff or bridge or off the roadside into a forest unnoticed and is laying there unconscious?Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- Yep, next we’ll be accusing F1 drivers of avoiding Le Mans.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- But on what is that opinion based? Are you holding him to a different standard than others? Are you saying he should do learn to like something he doesn’t Are you saying he hasn’t achieved enough Are you saying he pretends to be better than his results? It’s actually a really strange opinion to oust if you consider it objectively or rationally. Try applying it to others or yourself by asking if not EVERYONE should then be doing more? Nobody in athletics or swimming gets criticism for not expanding their repertoire when a rival or someone else does. In fact, most who move to another event get accused of running from their rival. Opinions are boring, the reasons behind them are what count.Jumpyjohn07-11-2026
- for a medical chief to throw things like is just bad. There are already radios which were banned for spectacle. allow radios. Gps trackers are not a complete solutionabstractengineer07-11-2026
- Yeah man...PogiSloFans07-11-2026
- any rider less than 25 whether they are really ready for the position of leadership of GT is probably not the case. I think Pogi himself suffered when he was defeated by Jonas in the TDF twice. But that would be the team's job to ensure support so that they can bounce back. It requires a team and time to get back up and win after getting knocked down.abstractengineer07-11-2026
- I'm very glad he got the big late Quickstep Vuelta win and I hope he has a few left for Euskaltel-Euskadi.flyer07-11-2026
- My memories of Ivan Basso aren't good but I liked his sister Elisa ok.flyer07-11-2026
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