"The real test is the race itself" - Remco Evenepoel's coach confident that he will be in great form right after altitude camp
Cycling
Remco Evenepoel has travelled from a training camp directly to the Clásica San Sebastián last summer, and immediately showed great legs into a dominant win before eyeing the Vuelta a Espana. This spring the World Champion finds himself in the same situation but with different events, but coach Koen Pelgrim is certain that Evenepoel will be at a very high level at Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
“In the past, Remco has often gone straight from an altitude training camp to a competition and that has always worked out well,” coach Koen Pelgrim told Het Nieuwsblad. “We are confident that the camp will not really be a factor. During the camp you also take into account the competitions they will ride before the Giro. The signals I have received are that no one has gone over their limit.”
Training towards the Giro d'Italia, Evenepoel's ambitions have revolved around stage-racing this year. He's won the UAE Tour and finished a close second to Primoz Roglic at the Volta a Catalunya - the battle that is expected to headline the Corsa Rosa. After spending some weeks at Mount Teide in Tenerife, he and his Soudal - Quick-Step block have returned to mainland Europe and are currently in Belgium, some of them racing the Ardennes classics.
Evenepoel has opted not to race Flèche Wallone, but he now comes in to attempt to defend his title at Liège-Bastogne-Liège where he will start with the number 1. “Of course there is a chance that Remco will not be able to perform optimally on Sunday. We're pretty sure he's fit, but you never know how that will play out in a 160-mile (258 kilometers, ed.) race. The real test is the race itself.”
Having evolved in his descending and sprinting he could very well prove to be a dangerous favourite for the race even if he doesn't ride solo off the front as was the case last year, but Evenepoel is above all keen on taking the win however way it is. Tadej Pogacar will be a very difficult rival to contest with, but the two are well balanced coming into the race - with the Slovenian perhaps slightly ahead.
“Winning a monument like Liège always provides extra motivation. Especially if you can start with number one as a world champion. Something like this might only happen once in a lifetime," he continued. "Remco is still going to Denia for this, where he will train at sea level and sleep at a altitude (an altitude tent, ed.) in the Syncrosfera Hotel."
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
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- Bingo...I was going to say a 12 year obsessed Pogi fan girlie ! Like she's chasing a teen boy band! All glossy eyed about tadej!frieders312-11-2026
- That stint in the Pink was so good. If memory serves he struggled with the champagne cuz he'd never been on the podium before. I feel like it gave him some self-belief, and yeah - then the move to Visma to be one of their lieutenants has really brought him to the best version of himself.wrsty12-11-2026
- So, you never really compared Paul Seixas with his main rival Isaac Del Toro why jump to Pogačar? They've (Paul & Isaac) raced together here and there, and they've both shared in wins and losses, I think they should be compared to each other, even with Vingegaard and Remco first before even touching Pogačar. From your writing it's like he's better than Vingegaard, Remco and Del Toro already that his main target is now Pogačar 🤔Sadick11-11-2026
- gee i hope its a minor injury. a great rider and ambassador for the sport. get well soon Lucinda.
Davide11-11-2026 - some of lidl-treks retention and recruiting has been puzzling in the mens and womens teams.Davide11-11-2026
- Yeah his ride at World's was unreal. Over 6 W/kg for over an hour and a half...he single handedly destroyed the break.DAS11-11-2026
- Exactly, you hit the nail on te head.... Ayuso sucks. 3 to 4 years ago some cycling experts were comparing Ayuso as the "new Pogi"... but he's not even close to him... either physically or mentally. Capish you naive schoolboy?PogiSloFans11-11-2026
- I think they expected more from riders like Carlos Rodriguez, Vauquelin and Magnus Sheffield. Imo they should have focused on signing Primoz Roglic, at least they´d probably have had a guaranteed podium GT finisher (he still might sign for them). Now they have 2nd or third tier riders in the classics (Ben Turner, Arensman, Beloki and hopefully Onley can step up again even more). Sheffield, August, Bernal, Tarling and Geoghan Hart did not live up to the star expectations eventually..Jonatan11-11-2026
- Fuuuuuuck, Ciccone and Pidcock on the same team, attacking like crazy and taking it to the other competitors? Yes, please.Occam11-11-2026
- Oh Cameron, this win has been a long time coming! We could not be more proud. All I’ll say is: roll on Glasgow 🔥anonymouscyclist11-11-2026
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Big news, wolves! @alafpolak1 returns to racing this weekend at @LiegeBastogneL! Photo: @GettySport
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