"It's a long time ago since we saw Remco with this race weight" - All systems go for Evenepoel as Tourmalet looms at Tour de France
CyclingThursday, 09 July 2026 at 10:28
A lean Remco Evenepoel is preparing for his first major Tour de France test on Thursday's stage 6, with the Col du Tourmalet set to stand in the way of the general classification favourites. The Red Bull - BORA Hansgrohe leader finds himself right in the mix.
It's not the first time the Belgian has appeared at La Grand Boucle in tip-top shape, and for his long-term sports director Klaas Lodewyck and team, it's the lightestest they've seen him since his 2024 podium performance.
All things considered, Evenepoel is in the perfect position amongst the general classification favourites. However, with a pure climbing feast on the menu for stage 6, Lodewyck says all signals are positive for him to perform well in high mountains.
"So far, so good. All signals are positive for the moment," Lodewyck told Cyclingnews before stage 5.
"I mean, I'm pretty excited [for the first mountain day, Ed.]. It's a long time ago since we saw Remco with this race weight. I think so far we only have positive signals, so yeah, we've got to be excited racing tomorrow."
Less stress has worked a trick for Evenepoel
When it came to race preparation, Evenepoel opted for over two months away from racing to fine-tune his training in the lead-up to the race. Focusing on utilisation of time and answering all the questions before the race were priority.
And it has paid off, with Evenepoel finishing third of stage 2 and putting in a strong team time trial performance.
Lodewyck said: "I think he feels good, and maybe is a bit less stressed, because the last two months he really took time to prepare well. In the past, it was always a bit of a rush to get ready for Dauphine, and then after, you either feel really good or feel really bad."
"I think this time we really took the time to respect his training, but also his rest. If you start a Grand Tour with less question marks, you go much more confident into the race, and I think so far we have positive signals in this race. That's why maybe he's a bit more relaxed than in other years."
The Col du Tourmalet brings up bad memories for Evenepoel. Suffering from illness and exhaustion last summer, he abandoned the race on the legendary climb. Lodewyck doesn't think a return to its slopes will phase Evenepoel.
Lodewyck cools Tourmalet redemption focus
"I don't think we should focus too much on [this] or try to create a black piste. I think he has already done amazing climbs in the past that were much harder than Tourmalet. So, let's just focus on how he is and move forward."
Although much of the focus has been on a lean Evenepoel, Lodewyck knows that he's not the only one - pointing to Tadej Pogacar specifically. However, most GC contenders have arrived at the race at a lighter weight, including Jonas Vingegaard.
Lodewyck added: "But in general, if you see Pogacar now, and compared to other years, he also stepped up his game again, so he's also very lean. It's not only Remco; they know it's going to be very, very hard, especially from the second weekend on, and then the last week is brutal, so they all know they have to be pretty light to be competitive."
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"As you said, I think Remco is probably the lightest I've ever seen him so far, so I think we should be very pleased with that."
All is on track for the Red Bull leader: "We took our time, we didn't rush, and I think we came at a certain point, also with the feedback from nutritionist trainers, that we find the real balance now, and he can also hold the weight. I think that's the most important thing, because you can start super skinny, but if you squeeze, you just gain super fast. So far, we're on track. We hope to keep it that way."
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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