Evenepoel gunning for Pogačar at Tour

Olympic champion confirms that he will share leadership in France with Florian Lipowitz

- Chris Marshall-Bell Photos: Getty Images

New year, new team, and a new Tour de France strategy for Remco Evenepoel.

The Olympic road race and time trial champion is swapping the colours of Soudal Quick-Step for Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe in 2026, after a seven-year spell with the team he turned pro with in 2019.

Twenty-six in January, Evenepoel left his contract with Quick-Step a year early for one principal reason: to get closer to achieving his dream of winning the Tour. He finished third in his debut at the 2024 race, but quit the 2025 race in the Pyrenees, despite sitting in third at the time.

In contrast to his past two appearances at the Tour where he has been his team's only GC leader, Evenepoel will line up at the 2026 race alongside his new Red Bull teammate Florian Lipowitz. This summer, Lipowitz, on debut in the Tour, finished third.

The two-pronged approach is therefore not a surprise, but it's going to be a new way of working for Evenepoel, who for years has been used to having an entire team working solely for him. In order to take on Tadej Pogačar, something new is needed.

Two-pronged attack