Remco Evenepoel Embraces Dual Leadership for 2026 Tour de France Bid with Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe

A new season brings a new team and a fresh approach for Remco Evenepoel, as he transitions to Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe in 2026. This move signifies a significant strategic shift, particularly for his ambitions in the Tour de France. After years of being the singular focus of his previous team, Evenepoel will now share leadership responsibilities with emerging talent Florian Lipowitz, a change he acknowledges will require careful adaptation and collaboration. This two-pronged strategy is designed to maximize their chances in the demanding Grand Tour, moving away from his past experiences where he bore the entire weight of leadership.

The Belgian Olympic champion, who will turn 26 in January, opted to conclude his contract with Soudal Quick-Step a year early, driven by his ultimate aspiration to claim the coveted yellow jersey. Despite a third-place finish in his 2024 Tour debut and an unfortunate withdrawal from the 2025 race while holding the same position, Evenepoel is determined to refine his approach. His new teammate, Florian Lipowitz, made a strong impression in his own Tour debut this summer, also securing a third-place finish. This parallel success sets the stage for a compelling dual leadership dynamic.

Speaking at Red Bull’s 2026 season launch event in Mallorca, Evenepoel openly discussed the challenges and opportunities presented by this new setup. He admitted that adapting to a shared leadership role would not be straightforward, stating, “It will be the first time I go to a Grand Tour with double leadership, and it’s the best way for us to do well.” He emphasized the need for joint races and training camps to build synergy with Lipowitz, given their distinct tactical styles. Evenepoel views this as a strength, believing that two contrasting approaches can form a highly effective combination.

Their first joint appearance on the racing circuit is slated for the Volta a Catalunya in March, where they plan to experiment with their combined strategies. Evenepoel is enthusiastic about the potential for multiple tactics and believes that their differing styles will complement each other effectively. While acknowledging Tadej Pogačar as the reigning favorite for the 2026 Tour, Evenepoel remains focused on his and his team’s development, aiming to close the gap and ultimately contend for victory. He expressed confidence that the new learnings and methodologies within the Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe team would enhance his capabilities as a rider.

The 2026 Tour de France will kick off with a 19.7km team time trial (TTT) in Barcelona, a stage where Evenepoel expects to gain an early advantage due to a revised rule allowing riders to split from their teammates in the final kilometer. He is eager to test his team’s TTT capabilities in the annual Challenge Mallorca races as a dress rehearsal. Despite his prowess as a world time trial champion, Evenepoel voiced disappointment regarding the scarcity of time trial kilometers in the main Tour route, with only one mountainous 26km individual time trial on stage 16. He clarified that his season would be structured around the Tour and the World Championships, foregoing any plans for the Giro d’Italia or the Tour of Flanders to maintain a more focused and less strenuous schedule after a challenging previous year. He also expressed his ambition to pursue a double victory in the World Championships’ time trial and road race events in Montreal.