Tour de France common director Christian Prudhomme was bullish about Remco Evenepoel’s debut within the race in 2024, talking on the presentation of the 2025 Tour’s Grand Départ on Thursday.
Prudhomme anticipated Evenepoel to boost the race that has been dominated by Jonas Vingegaard and Tadej Pogačar over the previous 4 years.
“Clearly, Vingegaard and Pogačar would be the huge favourites. However Evenepoel does have that X-factor, that surprising and good factor. He can immediately flip issues the wrong way up,” Prudhomme mentioned, based on Sporza.
Though Evenepoel collapsed in his defence of his Vuelta a España title this season, Prudhomme mentioned, “It struck me how he was capable of bounce again after a setback. I assumed he would surrender, however we noticed the alternative. He made a spectacle of it along with his assaults.”
After naming the favourites, Prudhomme certified that he felt Evenepoel might be a contender for the general victory when the race finishes in Good one week earlier than the Olympics start in Paris.
“He can win. However what is definite is that he’ll depart his mark on the race and, due to this fact, additionally on the general victory,” he mentioned.
The Belgian media had been curious as to why the 2025 Tour would begin simply throughout their border however not enter the nation, however Prudhomme defended the choice.
“It is a selection for France and never towards Belgium,” Prudhomme mentioned. “We’re by no means towards Belgium. In any case, how are you going to love the bicycle and never love Belgium?
“After session with numerous authorities, now we have determined to have the beginning solely by Northern France and due to this fact 100% by France.”
He additionally pointed to the 2 time trials totalling 59km within the 2024 Tour de France route as one thing becoming for the time trial World Champion Evenepoel.
“The 2024 Tour, the place Evenepoel might be in the beginning, ends with a time trial on July 21. And then you definitely assume we do not just like the Belgians?”
