"That must have something to do with bike handling" - Belgian legend raises serious concerns over Remco Evenepoel's crash frequency

Remco Evenepoel's time at the 2025 Criterium du Dauphine proved to be a mixed one. A time trial stage win and time spent in the Maillot Jaune of race leader were undoubted positives, however, ending the race 4th on GC more than four minutes down on Tadej Pogacar means there is plenty of room for improvement ahead of the Tour de France.

According to Belgian cycling legend Frank Hoste though, Evenepoel's biggest concern shouldn't be his form, but his repeated crashes. A problem that threatens to ruin any dreams Evenepoel has of ending the wait for a Belgian Tour de France winner. “Evenepoel was on the ground again on Thursday,” Hoste remarked on the podcast Derailleur. “For me, it’s yet another sign: ‘Damn, how is it that he’s the one going down, and no one else?’"

Looking for answers, the five-time Tour de France stage winner has a couple of theories. "That must have something to do with bike handling — being able to anticipate tricky situations. Or maybe it’s panic — and once you panic, you crash," ponders the 69-year-old. "If your wheel slides a bit and you panic, you go down. Especially on that roundabout they had to take, which looped back almost 180 degrees. I can understand your balance being momentarily thrown off, but as a rider, you have to be able to handle that.”

As such, Hoste has serious worries about his compatriot's hope to win the Maillot Jaune. “It’s become evident again that Evenepoel has some limitations in that area, and that worries me — especially going into the first week of the Tour," he explains. "That’s when riders are hitting the deck every day."

"I just hope nothing happens during that opening week and that he’s surrounded by a strong team. His teammates need to ride up front in the wind with him the whole time, so he doesn’t have to fight for position in the peloton," Hoste concludes. "That, to me, is crucial — that Remco gets through that first week in one piece.”