“There is space on my right leg”: Red Bull's general manager makes tattoo bet with Remco Evenepoel for Worlds

The absence of Tadej Pogacar has inevitably changed the complexion of the 2026 World Championships in Montréal, but Ralph Denk does not believe it will diminish the value of whoever eventually takes the rainbow jersey. The Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe CEO is particularly confident in his own team leader, Remco Evenepoel, and is willing to put more than words behind that belief.

Denk already has a permanent reminder of one of his most successful riders on his body. On his left leg is a tattoo of Peter Sagan, the result of a bet made before the 2017 World Championships in Bergen, Norway. Now, with space still available on his right leg, the German has offered Evenepoel a similar wager.

The conditions are clear: if Evenepoel wins the men's road race in Montréal, Denk says he will have the Belgian's initials tattooed on his leg. He is not, however, prepared to make the same deal for the individual time trial.

Evenepoel enters Sunday's elite men's time trial as the reigning world champion and is attempting to win the discipline for a fourth consecutive year. Filippo Ganna is among his principal challengers on the 39.2-kilometer Montréal course.

“On the morning of the road race at the World Championships in Bergen, Peter and I made a bet. If he didn't win, my name would go on his leg. If he did win, I had to tattoo his name on my leg,” Denk recalled in words to HLN.

Sagan delivered, beating home rider Alexander Kristoff in the sprint after Greg Van Avermaet and Philippe Gilbert were unable to break clear on the final climb. “Peter already had a lot of tattoos, while I had none. I went skiing five days later and a fresh tattoo isn't recommended in ski boots, but I kept my word. It is still the only tattoo on my body.”

But there could soon be another rainbow-related tattoo story. “There is space on my right leg, but it is up to Remco to dare to take the bet. I would only do it for a world title in the road race. For the time trial, I won't make a bet with Remco, because getting a tattoo is too painful, and he is the best time trialist in the world,” Denk said with a laugh.

Denk's admiration for Evenepoel extends beyond his performances on the bike. “I admire his focus and dedication, without making compromises with himself, and also the way he deals with pressure and the media. He will always give his opinion, which is unique these days. Remco won't give interviews like 90 percent of athletes do: boring and afraid to say something. That doesn't make our sport bigger. Remco gives interviews with character. There is meat on the bone.”

That directness has also produced disagreements between Evenepoel and the team's sporting management.

“Certainly, also between him and the sporting management, and then those discussions can be quite heated, but Remco also understands that a ‘no’ is a ‘no’, such as with the decision over whether or not to ride the Dauphiné ahead of the Tour. We discussed it then, before making a decision together and committing to it together.”