Cycling
The Stage 15 win that proved Remco Evenepoel is the complete package
A breakthrough in the mountains is the latest sign that Remco Evenepoel is evolving into the complete Grand Tour rider.
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Remco Evenepoel is having a Tour de France to remember. The Belgian finds himself second in the general classification as the race reaches its second rest day, and with six stages to go between now and the final finish line on the Champs-Élysées in Paris, Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe’s main GC hope is on course for his and the team’s best-ever finish at the legendary French Grand Tour.
Yet it's not just his position in the standings that's catching the eye. Fresh from his Stage 15 victory, here's how Evenepoel is showing the qualities of a more complete Grand Tour rider than ever before.
01
Remco Evenepoel's unconventional road to the Tour de France
Evenepoel’s lead-in to this year’s Tour de France was far from the usual, well-trodden path. After some early-season stage races, including overall victory at February’s Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, he switched his attention to the Spring Classics.
One of the best one-day racers in the peloton, the two-time Monument winner secured victory at the Amstel Gold Race and third-place finishes at both the Tour of Flanders and Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Remco Evenepoel opted to train in Sierra Nevada ahead of the Tour de France
© Maximilian Fries/Red Bull Content Pool
The final race in the Belgian Classics calendar on April 26, however, was also Evenepoel’s last until he lined up in Barcelona for the Grand Départ of the 2026 Tour more than two months later. Rather than racing, the 26-year-old opted for altitude camps in Spain’s Sierra Nevada.
While that lack of race sharpness meant he admitted he did not have the power to hold Pogačar and Del Toro’s wheels as they sprinted for bonus seconds on Stage 2, two weeks later the freshness and adaptation to altitude appear to be paying dividends as the race reaches the Alps.
02
The tactical evolution of Remco Evenepoel
The 2022 La Vuelta winner knows what it takes to sustain a general classification challenge over three gruelling weeks, so when he appeared to lose contact with the group of favourites towards the end of Stage 10 from Aurillac to Le Lioran, Evenepoel didn't panic.
As the likes of Jonas Vingegaard, Juan Ayuso and team-mate Florian Lipowitz pulled away in an attempt to limit their losses to one of Pogačar’s trademark explosive attacks, Evenepoel kept his effort measured and, crucially, stayed out of the red.
Evenepoel is beginning to reap the rewards of his altitude training
© Maximilian Fries/Red Bull Content Pool
As the kilometres ticked by, he gradually clawed his way back into the group. By the time the finish line came into sight, his patience had paid off, leaving him with enough in the tank to outsprint his key podium rivals for second place and collect valuable bonus seconds that lifted him into third overall.
03
Stage 15: A breakthrough mountain victory
The Tour de France’s Stage 15 offered an explosive finale to the second week of racing. Coming hot on the heels of the mountainous Stage 14, it packed 183.9km of racing and 4,098m of elevation gain into another demanding day.
There was drama from the very start, with key GC contender and then second-placed rider Vingegaard crashing out of the race, promoting Evenepoel to second overall.
But as the road pitched upwards towards the summit finish at Plateau de Solaison, something different happened. Throughout this Tour, Pogačar’s explosiveness has proved too much for anyone to handle, with the Slovenian claiming four stage wins and building a five-minute advantage as he chases a record-equalling fifth Tour title.
Four-time Tour winner Tadej Pogačar (R) is known for his explosive finishes
© Kristof Ramon/Red Bull Content Pool
As the GC contenders began to thin out on the slopes of Plateau de Solaison, however, Evenepoel stayed glued to the yellow jersey’s rear wheel.
After the breakaway was caught, Evenepoel, Pogačar and Del Toro quickly established a comfortable advantage over the remaining GC favourites.
04
How Evenepoel beat Pogačar in the Stage 15 sprint
When the trio launched their final sprints for the line, it was Evenepoel who had the decisive kick. After edging clear of Del Toro, he set his sights on the finish and, for the first time in this year’s Tour, proved too strong for Pogačar.
Although the winning margin was minimal, the victory will give the Belgian confidence that Pogačar isn't invincible. With more mountainous stages still to come, there will be further opportunities to chip away at the five-minute deficit.
The Belgian is looking like the complete package after this stage win
© Getty Images/Red Bull Content Pool
05
Can Remco Evenepoel win the 2026 Tour de France?
The third and final week of racing presents Evenepoel with an immediate opportunity to reduce Pogačar’s lead. The reigning UCI Individual Time Trial World Champion will start Stage 16 as one of the favourites against the clock as he targets a second stage victory of this year’s race and the fourth Tour stage win of his career.
From there, the route features one hilly stage and three mountainous days before the race reaches Paris for its traditional ceremonial finale. If Evenepoel can reproduce the level he showed on Stage 15, there will be more opportunities to add to his stage tally while strengthening his hold on second place overall.
And if he continues his upward trajectory while Pogačar’s form begins to fade, then an historic first yellow jersey for both Evenepoel and Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe could yet be within reach. It would also make him the first Belgian since Lucien Van Impe 50 years ago to win cycling’s most iconic race.
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