Patrick Lefevere assures what is Remco Evenepoel's big career goal: "He wants to win the three Grand Tours during his career"

Remco Evenepoel ended his 2024 season on a high with a second place at Il Lombardia, a year where he's won the time-trials at the Olympic Games and World Championships, and the Olympic Games road race. After winning the Vuelta a España two years ago, Patrick Lefevere assures that the Soudal - Quick-Step aims to win the Tour de France and Giro d'Italia.

"He's not stupid. His goal was to do the Tour in 2025 and he did it one year before the goal. They have to give us the time we need to adapt with the possibilities we have. I can't call a Sheikh and ask for an extra five million euros, it doesn't work like that," Lefevere told Cyclingnews. "Remco understands that. He wants to win the three Grand Tours during his career. He's won one, the Vuelta, so there's two to go".

After Il Lombardia, Lefevere had only reasons to be happy after a strong season from the team who also saw Tim Merlier and Mikel Landa bring in plenty quality results, and Evenepoel himself delivering despite a mid-season crash at Itzulia Basque Country which saw him fracture a shoulder and collarbone.

He was asked about a possible future transfer involving him, and the experienced manager replied in his usual form: "Three parties can decide a rider's future: his current team, the team where he could go and the rider. Nobody made an offer, so for me, the case didn't exist. It was only in the mind of some people and some journalists. Some people made a lot of noise but then nothing happened".

At the time being, most signs point towards a happy relationship and a team that continues to build a climber block, for example with the signing of rising talent Valentin Paret-Peintre. "When he's good, he's very good. I think he won every time trial he rode. He's only 25 next January, there's still some progress to come".

"He won two gold at the Olympics and it was special the way he won them. He won the time trial stage at the Tour and finished third overall and wore the best young rider's white jersey every day. He was consistent, despite being unlucky to crash at the Itzulia Basque Tour and fractured his collarbone," he concluded.