"We just can't take six potential stage winners with Remco and Lipo" - Former INEOS DS wants to lead focused BORA for Tour de France GC ambitions

Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe has signed Remco Evenepoel, and the German team desires to be at the very top. At the 2026 Tour de France it will have the Olympic Champion and Florian Lipowitz aiming for a high result, and this will mean a dedicated team must be at the start to support both. Former INEOS Grenadiers DS and current manager at BORA Zak Dempster is part of the team who must choose the ideal set of six riders who will back the duo in a crucial Grand Boucle edition.

The pressure is on. With Lipowitz finishing a breakthrough third place at this year's Tour - winning the youth classification as well - it means that BORA has one strong card; but in Evenepoel you have a strong wildcard. The Belgian was third in 2024, and will have potentially evolved since. He is highly motivated after his move to the German team and has already revealed his full schedule for the spring and summer, a year in which he looks to close the gap to Tadej Pogacar.

The ambition is incredibly high, and at Red Bull - BORA, there is understanding of the task at hand. The team's level should also increase with the entry of such a key figure of the sport's world: "I mean, all boats rise in a high tide; if we've only got eight guys ready for the Tour, then it's going to be an issue," Dempster said in words to Cyclingnews. "You want to a level of, let's say, competition, but at the same time, we need to priorities how we're going to be successful. We just can't take six potential stage winners with Remco and Lipo". 

Hence, it starts to become important to fit all the pieces together ahead of the Tour de France. Besides the two climbers, no other has confirmed presence in the race. Primoz Roglic is a possibility, but not clear, and will aim for the Vuelta a España; whilst Jai Hindley and Giulio Pellizzari head to the Giro d'Italia in a co-leadership.

It's possible that one of the three will be present however. It is likely that Mattia Cattaneo will be present as he followed Evenepoel from Soudal - Quick-Step where he was his right-hand man; Gianni Moscon is also likely to be present as a road captain. But plenty positions are wide open, with many strong riders to fill in the gaps.

Is there room for a sprinter? Danny van Poppel will focus on the Giro d'Italia, but Jordi Meeus could still have his place at the Tour. But this is going to be a tough ask for the Belgian, winner of the Champs-Élysées sprint back in 2023. "Given the way Tour's parcours is, it's going to be difficult, but not impossible, for Jordi to be selected," Dempster admits. "We'll give him the chance to do so, but it's just the way that route is. But definitely, the aim is to have more than eight guys ready."