Remco Evenepoel demands more from teammates at the 2025 Tour de France: “The time is now”

Remco Evenepoel has set his sights firmly on achieving even greater success in 2025, emphasizing the need for full commitment from his teammates as he prepares for the next Tour de France. The Belgian star was awarded the Flandrien last night, recognizing him as the Belgian cyclist of the year after a remarkable 2024 season.

At just 24, Evenepoel had an outstanding debut at the Tour de France, securing the white jersey for best young rider and finishing an impressive third in the general classification. His momentum continued with double gold at the Olympics and a successful defence of his world time trial title, solidifying his reputation as one of cycling’s elite. Despite these achievements, the season was overshadowed by Tadej Pogacar’s historic triple crown, which made Pogacar the most talked-about rider of the year.

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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.

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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.

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