"We can calculate the numbers of Tadej" - Red Bull - BORA and Evenepoel look to close the gap to Pogacar
Cycling
Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe have finished on the final podium of every Grand Tour in 2026. Next year they want to take the next step and begin to close the gap further on Tadej Pogacar, team manager Ralph Denk said.
"I have a huge respect for what Remco achieved with us in 2026. Also for his involvement in the team and his attitude. He's a real champion," Denk said in an interview with Domestique. "He's very consistent".
The Olympic Champion's signing was a game-changer for the German team, who not only had several Grand Tour riders they could depend on already, but saw in Evenepoel a new card - and one who could perform all-year round, in all terrains.
"He was winning already in January, He had a good Classics season, then he came good again for the Tour and was still in shape in the autumn. That's hard and not for every rider. But Remco managed to do it.
Evenepoel has started and finished his season with victories. Along the way: Amstel Gold Race, GP de Québec, European road title and World time trial title have all be added to the palmarès. There were plenty other top results.
Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic at the 2026 European Championships
Evenepoel's debut at the Tour of Flanders earned him a strong podium position, which he then also achieved at Liège-Bastogne-Liège. But what might have taken the crown was his Tour de France - preparation and performance.
"He worked super, super hard for the Tour. I'm not a sports scientist but I can see his Training Peaks data and see how much work he did". Going into the Tour with no racing but only training, Evenepoel was able to perform at his best level ever in a Grand Tour.
He finished second only to Tadej Pogacar, won two stages ahead of the yellow jersey, and only appeared to improve as the race progressed. It was also evidence that with the perfect preparation Evenepoel is able to win a Tour de France - whilst for most of the season, weight remains an obstacle in the long climbs.
"It was impressive, on the bike and off the bike. That indicates he's very motivated and driven. We need athletes like Remco in modern cycling."
Breakout year close for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe
Although Florian Lipowitz crashed out of the Tour de France and ultimately had a second half of the season without results being delivered, his absence was not dramatic due to Evenepoel's presence.
But Jai Hindley and Primoz Roglic have also performed to the best of their abilities to finish on the podium of the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España respectively, showing how the team is able to prepare it's GC riders quite accurately into the three-week races.
"We had three different guys on the podium in the three Grand Tours: We had Jai Hindley on the podium at the Giro, Remco at the Tour and Primoz Roglic at the Vuelta. That's pretty cool and shows the strength of the team and the performance staff.
The team was the second best at the UCI rankings, demonstrative of its performances and depth all throughout the year.
"There are four big championships in cycling and we won three, with Remco taking the world time trial title and the European road race title, and Primož winning the European time trial title too. Those are nice".
Tour de France victory a goal for the future
But the Grand Tours are the team's top goals, and the Tour de France is the cherry on the cake. The team aims to win the Grand Boucle, although the presence of Tadej Pogacar comes in the way of their goals.
"We always aim high. At Red Bull they hate to lose. Red Bull are very competitive and very driven. They want to win in every sport they engage in." For that, they have invested massively in the signing of new leaders.
"That's the goal in the midterm but we all know how unique Tadej is. We know the performance numbers of our guys and we can calculate the numbers of Tadej. There's still a gap," Denk assures. But this summer proved that an Evenepoel in peak form is not as distant as was the case in the past.
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But time might be on the Belgian's side, as he is two years younger than the Slovenian.
"The question is if Tadej is still at his best level and if he will always be at this level. Nobody knows. So I always advise my team: we have to be ready to take advantage of any weakness with Tadej and UAE."
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.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
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)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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