Remco Evenepoel was ready for a showdown with Tadej Pogačar at the UAE Tour, but fate had other plans! It turns out the initial allure of the 2026 UAE Tour for the Belgian star was precisely the prospect of a direct battle with his Slovenian rival. However, as Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe's Chief of Sports, Zak Dempster, revealed, the reigning world champion won't be gracing the race to defend his title. This means Evenepoel's main competition is now anticipated to be Pogačar's promising young teammate, Isaac del Toro, a rising Mexican talent.
Dempster candidly admitted, "You want to measure yourself against the best, but actually, the primary reason why he wanted to do UAE originally was that he was thinking the Pogačar would be there. So we're not avoiding anyone." This statement highlights a common sentiment in professional sports: the drive to test one's mettle against the absolute top contenders. Evenepoel's victory in Valencia, against a strong field including João Almeida, was a solid start, but the UAE Tour was envisioned as a more significant benchmark.
But here's where it gets interesting: Evenepoel has navigated his past two seasons without the significant crashes that have hampered his progress. This winter, he's enjoyed a remarkably clean run, allowing him to build form consistently. Dempster elaborated, "I think just having a clean run where you can just get on your bike every day at 9:30 and get the work done and come home for lunch. I think that's been the biggest thing, just a stable winter." This seemingly simple consistency, combined with a "back-to-basics" approach in a new team with a new coach and performance structure, has propelled him to a high level right from the start.
And this is the part most people miss: Dempster pointed out that reaching peak performance doesn't always require grueling altitude camps. He stated, "I think it's actually a really good example that, contrary to popular belief, you can actually reach a really high level without sitting on top of a mountain." This offers a valuable lesson for aspiring cyclists, suggesting that dedicated training and a stable environment can be incredibly potent, even without extreme altitude exposure. He added, "Of course, altitude is a part of our preparation philosophy, but at the same time, there's a hell of a lot you can do just with having some oats in the morning and getting on your bike at 9:30 at home."
Following his UAE campaign, Evenepoel is slated to train at Mount Teide alongside potential Tour de France co-leader Florian Lipowitz, before heading to the Volta a Catalunya and the Ardennes Classics. It's in the Ardennes where he'll likely face Pogačar for the first time this season.
The signs are certainly pointing towards Evenepoel reaching a level where he can challenge the world champion. However, the question remains: Can this 'back-to-basics' approach, coupled with a consistent winter, truly propel him to Grand Tour glory, or is altitude training still the non-negotiable key to ultimate success? What are your thoughts on the most effective training methods for elite cyclists? Let us know in the comments below!
