“Should Remco Evenepoel go to Roubaix? That race might suit him even better” – Flanders debut sparks new debate around Belgian’s future

Remco Evenepoel has not yet ridden the Tour of Flanders, but Belgian television was already asking whether his cobbled future might stretch even further.

In the wake of Dwars door Vlaanderen, where Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe were heavily involved throughout a frantic finale eventually won by Filippo Ganna, Karl Vannieuwkerke used Evenepoel’s newly confirmed Flanders debut to push the conversation beyond Sunday alone. “Should Evenepoel actually go to Roubaix? That race might suit him even better,” he asked during Sporza’s post-race analysis.

It followed directly from what had just been seen. Red Bull were active throughout the race, with multiple riders present in the decisive phases.

“What would Remco Evenepoel have thought watching this race? That he could hardly ride the Tour of Flanders with a better team?” Vannieuwkerke asked. “I think so,” Jose De Cauwer replied.

De Cauwer pointed to what had stood out most for him at Dwars door Vlaanderen, singling out the level shown within the team. “I saw Gianni Vermeersch doing things today I have never seen him do before,” he said. “He is racing well and, as always, reading the race carefully. It is a strong team, with the Van Dijke brothers as well.”

Evenepoel’s move into the cobbled Monuments has raised questions about the support around him in races defined by positioning and collective strength. The performance on Wednesday offered a clear indication of what he will have at his disposal in Flanders.

There was also a nod to how unlikely the whole situation had seemed from the outside after months of denials. “I think there are bets going around about champagne from people who think Evenepoel’s plans are an April Fool’s joke, but someone will have to pay up,” De Cauwer added.

The Roubaix question was not presented as a firm plan, but it reflects how quickly the discussion is shifting once Evenepoel is placed in this environment. If Red Bull can race Dwars door Vlaanderen with that level of presence, and if Evenepoel arrives at the Tour of Flanders with that backing, the focus no longer sits only on his debut. The conversation is already moving to what could follow.

De Cauwer closed by turning attention back to Sunday. “Long live the Tour of Flanders.”

That remains the immediate test. But the fact Roubaix was raised at all underlines how quickly expectations are evolving around Evenepoel’s role on the cobbles.