“Remco loves the Classics, but he still has to aim for the Tour de France” - Patrick Evenepoel insists his son hasn't given up on Maillot Jaune dream

The question has followed Remco Evenepoel throughout the 2026 season: is he better suited to dominating one-day races, or should his focus remain fixed on the Tour de France?

For his father Patrick, the answer is not a choice between the two. Speaking to HLN, he pushed back against growing suggestions that his son should abandon Grand Tour ambitions and concentrate fully on one-day racing.

The discussion is not without foundation. Evenepoel’s 2026 campaign has once again highlighted just how effective he is in one-day racing. Victory at Amstel Gold Race, combined with a strong debut at the Tour of Flanders, has reinforced his standing as one of the most complete Classics riders in the world.

His palmarès already backs that up. Multiple wins at Clásica San Sebastián, two victories at Liège-Bastogne-Liège, a world title and Olympic gold underline a rider capable of deciding the biggest one-day races. At the same time, those performances have only sharpened the contrast with his Grand Tour ambitions.

Evenepoel is not an outsider in three-week racing. He has already finished on the podium at the Tour de France and claimed overall victory at the Vuelta a España in 2022, proving he has the engine and consistency required for general classification racing.

But the landscape has shifted. Against riders like Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard, the margins are defined in the high mountains, and that is where doubts have emerged.

Recent races have raised questions about whether Evenepoel can consistently match that level over the most demanding climbs, particularly across the three weeks of the Tour.

That is exactly why Patrick Evenepoel is urging patience rather than a change in direction. “Everyone is talking about it now. Remco has always loved the Classics, but he still has to aim for the Tour de France. For another year or two, I think. If you can finish third in the Tour and win the Vuelta, you have to keep believing in that,” he said in conversation with HLN.

It is a clear stance. The results are already there, and in his view, they justify continued belief rather than a shift in focus.

The dilemma is not about ability, but about optimisation. In one-day races, Evenepoel can impose himself with explosive efforts and aggressive racing, often putting him among the very best in the world.

In Grand Tours, the equation is different. The reduced importance of time trials in modern routes and the increasing emphasis on sustained climbing place him in direct competition with riders who currently define the very highest level in the mountains. That does not remove him from contention, but it changes the balance.

For now, the message from his inner circle is clear. The Tour de France remains a central objective. “When Remco is back home with us in Belgium, we rarely talk about cycling,” Patrick added. “We talk about everyday things, which is very important for him, for Oumi and for us. But actually, he doesn’t come home very often. If he comes home often, it means something is wrong. So the less I see Remco, the better things are going for him.”

The long-term direction of Evenepoel’s career is still open to interpretation. But for the next two years at least, there will be no shift away from the biggest race in the world.

That makes Sunday’s Liège-Bastogne-Liège another important reference point. Up against riders like Tadej Pogacar and Paul Seixas, both expected to feature prominently in the Tour de France conversation, Evenepoel is once again placed in direct comparison with the level he ultimately has to match.

The Maillot Jaune remains the goal.