Remco Evenepoel will race 2023 Vuelta a Espana, Patrick Lefevere confirms

After having to abandon his last Grand Tour in the 2023 Giro d'Italia, where he was the big favorite to win, because of a positive for COVID-19, Remco Evenepoel will take part in the 2023 Vuelta a España.

The news have been confirmed by Patrick Lefevere, Sporting Director of Soudal Quick-Step, in an exclusive for the Belgian newspaper, DH. Although Evenepoel was initially going to focus only on the World Championships for the final stretch of the season, the talented Belgian rider will go all out to defend the red jersey he won last year, and thus win the second Vuelta a España of his short career.

Remco Evenepoel's 2023 has been, so far, a mixed one despite some great achievements in the first part of the season. The Soudal - Quick-Step rider managed to win the UAE Tour to start the year. He lost the Volta a Catalunya to Primoz Roglic despite his two stage wins.

"At first I said it would be better for him not to ride the Vuelta a España," Lefevere said. “But when I see at what level he comes back and how much he wants, I can only agree with him. Remco wants to take on major challenges. If everything goes well in training and he has no problems, he will participate in the Vuelta.”

He then won Liège-Bastogne-Liège, arriving with all the confidence in the world at the Giro d'Italia, after winning the Monument, looking for revenge against Roglic for what happened in Catalunya. A positive for COVID-19 left him out of his big goal of the season when he had already won two stages. He then took part in the Tour de Suisse (where he won a stage) in preparation for the Belgian Championships, where he won the champion's jersey in the men's road race.