"It will be almost impossible for Evenepoel to take that next step" - No chance for Quick-Step leader to close Tour de France gap after training crash according to expert

After an impressive podium on his Tour de France debut in 2024, Remco Evenepoel was hoping to use a big winter preparation as a springboard into an even more impressive 2025. Sadly though, a training crash in Belgium might have ruined those plans.

During a casual ride in his homeland, Evenepoel was surprised by the opening door of a BPost van, crashing hard and being left with broken bones, a dislocated collarbone and numerous other injuries. According to Dutch sports scientist Jim van den Berg, despite this crash happening in the off-season, it could significantly damage Evenepoel's hopes of closing the gap to Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard.

"Evenepoel is only 24 years old, then you are in the phase in your career where you still want to take steps forward," Van den Berg explains to Het Nieuwsblad. "It is the period to take a new step forward in your development. You don't have to be a sports scientist to know that it will now be almost impossible for Evenepoel to take that next step."

"As exceptionally good as his season was, if you look at what happened in the Tour, it is necessary to take a step forward," continues the Dutch sports scientist. "Because he is dealing with perhaps the best rider of all time."

"Every season, every major tour, every training build-up you pile up and that makes you better and better. That's why Mathieu van der Poel - who almost never falls seriously - is so good. That's why Wout van Aert also has a problem: he also falls relatively often with serious consequences. That is a huge obstacle to getting better. Because you always take a step back instead of growing," Van den Berg concludes. "It would be very special if we saw a better Evenepoel in 2025 than in 2024. No one gets better from these kinds of falls, it takes so much energy from your body."