"It looks like really it's tending more towards Remco, who looks incredibly lean" - Eurosport analyst points out Evenepoel as major podium challenger
CyclingTuesday, 07 July 2026 at 13:02
Remco Evenepoel can be considered Red Bull - BORA Hansgrohe's Tour de France leader and looks good value for it as he demonstrated his lean and fit shape, that's according to one Eurosport analyst.
Backing the Belgian to form one of the main challengers for the podium, and even be considered by race leaders Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, former pro and motorbike analyst Jens Voigt reckons Evenepoel is in good shape.
Although acknowledging Evenepoel and Florian Lipowitz's credentials dictate they should be shared leaders, Voigt can't help but lean towards Evenepoel desite Lipowitz preferred terrain - the high mountains - looming large.
"They both have finished once third in the Tour de France, last year and the year before, so they're equal leaders," Voigt said on TNT Sports.
Evenepoel looks "incredibly lean"
He added: "At the moment it looks like really it's tending more towards Remco, who looks incredibly lean and ready. The Long Mountains, where Florian seems to be better this year, they are yet to come, but at the moment Remco is really putting on a great show."
But when it comes to other challenges, Voigt declared French teenager Paul Seixas as "ready" for a general classification battle depite doubts among experts of exactly what should be his target in his La Grand Boucle debut.
He concluded: "And don't forget the young wild talent Paul Seixas, he is clearly ready after the crash he had in the race two weeks ago, so he is ready. His team seems to be less strong than he is. But he's ready, he is keen as mustard, so to speak."
Paul Seixas
Evenepoel reacts after stage 3
Meanwhile, Evenepoel pointed towards the way UAE Team Emirates – XRG had controlled stage 3, dragging the race back from a dangerous breakaway before Pogacar finished the job and moved into yellow.
“It is a bit of a shame that they didn’t let the breakaway go,” Evenepoel told Sporza after the finish. “That would have been a nice chance for them. But it is like Tadej said after the finish: if you feel you can win, you shouldn’t leave it behind.”
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Assessing his own condition, he admitted he knew he would not be sprinting for the win despite UAE and Pogacar putting it in play for the peloton.
“I felt that the best had gone,” he admitted. “When we turned onto the final climb, I felt that I would be able to ride hard, but that I wouldn’t be able to sprint for the win.”
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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- Hoss!bobo07-07-2026
- He should be outsprinting Lipo on stage 3, but he didn't
Rafionain-Glas07-07-2026 - Mou talking sense. A rare sight. There's still hope yetRafionain-Glas07-07-2026
- Naaa, hoping NSN do well, it has a few Kiwi cyclists on the squad. I will also support any squad that can challenge uae, bahrain or jayco alula but i do not get so wrapped up in it like some people do.
Andrew07-07-2026 - Go get that green MADS 🚴♂️🚴♂️🚴♂️
liborio07-07-2026 - Not even close. De Lie has a history of serious good results. Uijtdebroeks not so much..mobk07-07-2026
- Sounds like a heroic sacrificial tragedy from the Lord of the Rings... "You go on... I can't do it..."Rafionain-Glas07-07-2026
- Harrumph... What about red cards being suspended... ring any bells?Rafionain-Glas07-07-2026
- It's hard to argue against any of thatRafionain-Glas07-07-2026
- This is a cycling site. try to keep up.
ScottG07-07-2026
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