“We’ll see where Remco is” – Evenepoel returns to racing at Tour of Britain 2025 for first race since Quick-Step departure was officially confirmed

Remco Evenepoel will make his long-awaited return to racing next week as Soudal - Quick-Step head to the 2025 Tour of Britain, with the Belgian star set to line up for the first time since it was confirmed he will leave the Wolfpack for Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe at the end of the season.

The six-day race, which begins Tuesday in Woodbridge, marks the start of the final chapter of Evenepoel’s journey with Patrick Lefevere’s team, where he has been the undisputed talisman since turning professional. His presence alone will be one of the headline stories of the 21st edition of the Tour of Britain, which features over 900km of racing between Suffolk’s east coast and the finale in Cardiff.

The Tour of Britain has been one of the most fruitful races in Quick-Step’s calendar. Across past editions the team has amassed 28 victories, including last year’s sprint hat-trick from French prospect Paul Magnier. Evenepoel himself has previously been central to the Wolfpack’s success on British roads, and his return provides both intrigue and expectation.

Sports director Klaas Lodewyck acknowledged in a pre-race Quick-Step press release, that the race will be an important barometer for the 25-year-old’s condition following a period away from competition:

“We’ll see where Remco is at the moment, as he returns to racing, but for the general classification we also have Ilan [Van Wilder], who could do something there. Ethan [Hayter] and Luke [Lamperti] are two other riders who are motivated and who could be in the mix for some nice results. Our main focus for the week is to take a stage victory. Then, depending on how things go, we’ll see if we can also fight for the overall standings. It’s a very strong field at the start, but we are motivated to leave our mark on the race.”

Evenepoel will be joined by a balanced squad built to contest both the general classification and the sprints. British time trial champion Ethan Hayter provides a local favourite in Quick-Step colours, while Luke Lamperti adds another option for fast finishes. Casper Pedersen, Martin Svrcek, and trusted lieutenant Ilan Van Wilder complete the line-up, with the latter earmarked as a potential GC card should Evenepoel focus on easing back into race rhythm.

Remco Evenepoel
Ilan van Wilder
Ethan Hayter
Luke Lamperti
Casper Pedersen
Martin Svrcek