Remco Evenepoel has described reports that he may try to leave Soudal-QuickStep and move to Ineos Grenadiers or another rival teams as “small bullshit that is going around”, insisting that he has the mental strength to focus on his packed summer of racing that starts with the Clasica San Sebastian on Saturday and includes the UCI Road World Championships in Glasgow and then the Vuelta a España later in August.
During the Tour de France, numerous reports suggested that Israel-Premier Tech and other teams had joined Ineos Grenadiers in trying to convince Evenepoel and his entourage to break his contract with Soudal-QuickStep, with money seemingly available to cover any contract buyout and a new salary close to €6 million per season and a far stronger team to back his Tour de France ambitions.
It also emerged that a US investor, thought to be someone connected to the Wasserman Sports management agency, had enquired about buying Soudal-QuickStep but then opted against the idea due to a lack of the team’s possible profitability.
Team manager Patrick Lefevere played down reports he could lose Evenepoel and that he would sell his 20% share in the team. He told his riders and staff at the Tour de France that he has promised the team's major sponsors to stay as CEO until 2027, with Mikel Landa one possible target to strengthen the team for 2024.
Evenepoel has so far said little about the reports that he is unhappy about his current contract at Soudal-QuickStep and the strength of the team as he attempts to take on Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar at the 2024 Tour de France. Speaking to a select group of media, including Cyclingnews, on the eve of the Clasica San Sebastian, he claimed he had little real information and insisted he was happy at the Belgian team.
"It's actually funny because, from the outside, you guys know more than I do myself," Evenepoel said.
"So it's some things that are going around that I'm not even aware of myself and also within my entourage, and my family doesn't even know about all those things. So it's things going around that I don't even know about, which is pretty special.
"I think mentally I'm strong enough to focus on what I have to do in the summer is coming. I mean, there's no reason to be unhappy here. It's all a bit of, let's say, small bullshit that is going around. Sorry for the word I didn't know a better word to say."
Evenepoel watched the 2023 Tour de France on television while at an altitude training camp in Italy to prepare for the World Championships and Vuelta a España.
He was impressed as Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar fought for the yellow jersey and accepted that he has some work to do to compete against them in the 20024 Tour de France.
"That's a very difficult question. We will never know. We will know next year probably," Evenepoel. said when asked if he is close to their level of performance.
"But if I have to believe the calculations, from the watts per kilo and stuff like that, they're numbers I have also been pushing already. But of course, it's day after day (at the Tour de France). So I think they achieved an unbelievable level this year, an incredible level.
"Now it's up to me, I have one year of work to make big steps forward, to come close to those two crazy guys and super good riders. I hope to be up there with them next year."
An early farewell to the rainbow jersey but ambitions for many more
The Road World Championships are seven weeks earlier than usual and so Evenepoel will race in the world champion’s rainbow jersey for a last time at the Clasica San Sebastian. However he has ambitions to fill his wardrobe with more prestigious jerseys and add more races to his palmares.
“It’s the beginning of middle end of July, and it's already the last race in the rainbow, that's a pity,” he said.
“But I think there's a nice race coming next week to try and take a jersey again. San Sebastian is a really important race for me. I know that if I can win, I’ll share the record of the race. That’s a big motivation and I want to enjoy the last hours in the jersey.
“Of course, I hope that it's not the last race in my life in the rainbow jersey. It is for this year but I've had a pretty good season in the rainbow stripes; eight victories. Some nice victories, including the Belgian national title. I think I can look back on a very beautiful year in the rainbow jersey.”
Evenepoel won the rainbow jersey in Wollongong with a long solo attack. He was third in the time trial but fancies his chances in both events in Glasgow.
“I think the TT is long and not super technical, which will help me and then the road race is pretty technical, but it's a super long race,” Evenepoel explained, well aware of the Glasgow race routes.
“I think it's gonna be a special race. Let's hope the rain will stay away, but of course it’s in Glasgow.
“The local lap (in Glasgow) has a lot of corners and a lot of up and down but the race will be close to seven hours, which will put a lot of fatigue in the legs and where I think that attackers or a breakaway will have a benefit.
“I think they should suit me both but we'll see. We have a very strong team with the Belgian team, we have different cards to play with Jasper Philipsen, Wout Van Aert and myself and also some other guys. We have a lot of strong guys that can win the race.”
Evenepoel had to reset his season after catching COVID-19 while leading the Giro d’Italia. He recovered to finish third overall at the Tour de Suisse and the Belgian national title before taking his planned break in July.
He will target both the road race and the time trial at the Glasgow Super World Championships and then head to Spain to defend his 2022 Vuelta a España victory.
“It was actually pretty easy, just copy and paste my training plan from last year,” Evenepoel said when asked how he prepared for the 2023 summer.
“Of course with the World Championships being next week already, I should be in a bit better shape than last year but then I need to keep the shape quite high for the Vuelta. My weight and all that stuff is on point so I think I should be okay for San Sebastian and for the next few weeks.”
