"Maybe Pogacar won't be around in 2 years" - Remco Evenepoel's chances of winning the Tour de France through the eyes of Tadej Pogacar

Remco Evenepoel has just won Amstel Gold Race and might be Tadej Pogacar's biggest rival for Liège-Bastogne-Liège this Sunday. However, this does not mean he will be able to match the Slovenian riding uphill; Whilst there has also been a discussion involving three legends of cycling regarding Liège but also his Tour de France ambitions.

"This victory is super important for his confidence. I think it will be difficult to win Liège-Bastogne-Liège with Pogacar in the mix, but he has to believe in it. His form is top-notch and he has the experience, because he has already won it twice," Philippe Gilbert said in words to Sporza.

Evenepoel's former teammate is also a former winner of La Doyenne, a race that over the past few years has been dominated by either Evenepoel or Pogacar. But the the two have not faced off in it whilst in their prime, and we might get that battle for the first time this weekend - with Paul Seixas also being heavily hinted as a favourite.

On the Grand Tour side of the discussion, the prospects are less positive. Whilst a strong stage-racer, it is not his natural specialty, and Tom Dumoulin argues that whilst at his best level he has been close, beating Tadej Pogacar or even Jonas Vingegaard at their prime may be too hard of a task for him.

"I hope he can take a step up someday, because that is his big dream. Will he be able to do that too? Yes, although it will be very difficult to close the gap on Pogacar and Vingegaard. But those guys will have an off year someday. If Evenepoel is at his best precisely then, he might be able to benefit."

In 2024 the Belgian put in a near perfect Tour de France with consistent and strong climbing performances backing up a race where he avoided any big mishaps; joining his two rivals on the podium and showing that in the future he can realistically win the Grand Boucle - specially as he is the youngest of the three.

But the high mountains are the terrain where he needs to improve, and the terrain where he hasn't yet impressed this year - and will only have the chance to do so at the Tour Auverge - Rhône Alps. "He has all the pieces of the puzzle, except for that one. He is the best at time trials, he has a strong team around him, and he can also handle stages with the character of a one-day race. He just lacks something in the high mountains," 2010 Tour winner Andy Schleck argued.

But the Luxembourger is less positive. "To be honest, I don't think he can win the Tour at the moment. Because he will always face those problems in the high mountains," he argues. However it does not mean that in the future there won't be an opening, or that the races aren't in themselves affected by potential crashes or other related withdrawals.

"A peloton can change. Maybe Pogacar won't be around in 2 years. Who will take over his role then? [Paul] Seixas? He is still a question mark too. You simply cannot guarantee results in sports,. What you can guarantee, however, is that you take the right steps to get there. I do see that in Remco."