Remco Evenepoel for 2026 - No Giro d'Italia; Tour of Flanders debut, but likely no Sanremo or Roubaix

Remco Evenepoel is currently in Mallorca with Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe and today is the German team's media day, in which the schedules and intentions of many riders will be revealed. Evenepoel has talked extensively about how he likes a strict and clear plan from early on, and so it is possible that his full schedule for the spring is already decided and it includes a few surprises.

It seemed to be likely a while back that Evenepoel would race the Giro d'Italia. Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe are having Florian Lipowitz return to the Tour de France next year and the route of the Grand Boucle is not friendly for the time trial specialists, with Evenepoel only having a short and hilly time trial in the final week where the effects on the GC will be minor. Battling against Tadej Pogacar is going to be very difficult as it has this fall even for a peak Evenepoel, and improving on his third place will be difficult.

The Giro route was revealed with a 40-kilometer flat time trial on stage 10, and although Jonas Vingegaard should be present, it would provide Evenepoel with a realistic opportunity to win the Corsa Rosa whilst still having time to rest and prepare for the Tour, with less pressure and with Lipowitz already as a fully focused leader. But the Giro doesn't seem to be in the plans for the Olympic Champion according to Het Laatste Nieuws.

The Belgian news outlet has in fact reported on what should be the Belgian's schedule, which answers the questions on which monuments he will race, something heavily debated in the last few weeks. His season debut should come at the Volta a Comunitat Valenciana which starts on the 4th of February and where he will race for the first time in the Red Bull colours.

With an eye on the Tour de France later in the year, Evenepoel is set to follow a stage-race-heavy program so as to adapt to the new team, equipment, nutrition and racing strategies. He will take part in the UAE Tour where he could very well be the main favourite for the final victory. In March he is said to not take part in Milano-Sanremo, making the decision instead to race the Volta a Catalunya to further prime his climbing form and chase a big stage-race victory against the riders that should contest the Giro d'Italia.

But Evenepoel will make the trip to Belgium to make his debut at the Tour of Flanders, where he should be one of the team's leaders in pursuit of replicating the transition Tadej Pogacar has done in recent years. He will then race the Ardennes tryptic at Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.

The Giro d'Italia will not be in his calendar, leaving most likely Jai Hindley and Giulio Pellizzari to team up as they did at the 2025 Vuelta a España. Evenepoel will do his traditional approach up to the Tour de France including an altitude camp and the renamed Tour Auverge - Rhône Alpes ahead of his return to the French Grand Tour, where most likely he will team up with Lipowitz on both occasions.