Looking ahead, Evenepoel has higher expectations for himself
and Soudal - Quick Step in 2025. Speaking to
Het Nieuwsblad, he said, “The Tour is
not a toy. It is not easy to ride a classification there. Everyone really has
to be 110 %. I am not going to say that it was not good this year, but I do
think that it could have been better. Then I am talking about the form of
certain riders.”
Evenepoel’s desire for a Grand Tour victory remains strong.
“My third place in the Tour has motivated me enormously to do better in a Grand
Tour. It does not matter which one, but, I would really like to have the
feeling of winning a Grand Tour again. So that will be the focus,” he added.
Reflecting on his strengths, Evenepoel highlighted his
progress in time trials and climbing. “Last season I dominated the time trials.
I also noticed that I am among the better climbers, but there are two even
better. Pogacar and Vingegaard are my new reference points,” he noted.
Despite his young age, Evenepoel is acutely aware of the
fleeting nature of an athlete’s peak years. “You can say that I am young and
still have time to win Grand Tours, but I will be 25. Maybe I will do this for
another five or six years, so the time is now. Everyone knows that my remaining
goals are to win the Giro and the Tour, so I want to invest fully in that.”
As the 2025 season approaches, Evenepoel’s focus on pushing
himself and his team to new heights signals an exciting chapter in his career
and a renewed determination to claim victory at cycling’s highest level.