Remco Evenepoel against plans to include Montmartre in the traditional Champs-Elysées stage: "Don't make it too complex and just stick to that local circuit"

Remco Evenepoel has good memories of Montmartre - a climb in Paris that witnessed his two Olympic triumphs last year. The organizers were so happy with how the debut of this climb went that they in fact explore ways to include it in the traditional final stage of Tour de France at the moment.

Given that this is a clear signal from ASO that they with to have a competitive race also on the 21st day of the Tour, it's far from good news for the sprinters. Evenepoel is not sure that denying sprinters their opportunity after three weeks of racing is the way to go.

"They get a great chance every year to sprint for a stage win on the Champs-Elysées. That chance is then somewhat taken away from them by having to make an effort of 3 minutes (Montmartre) three times," he told Sporza.

Evenepoel calls on the Tour organization not to overdo it in the final stage. "Don't make it too complex and just stick to that local round. I think there will be enough battle for positioning in the first week of the Tour. With Montmartre added, that would mean we have to do the same on the last day. We will be tired enough by then."

It is far from certain that Montmartre will be included in the route of the final stage. Laurent Nunez, head of the Paris police, told the French newspaper L'Équipe that the file is still being worked on.

"For example, we are still looking at whether we have enough barriers. It is something else to send a peloton of 80, like in the Olympic road race, or of 170, like in the Tour, past there. Especially because the organization wants the stage to be fully contested. But we are working on it with a lot of energy."