Remco Evenepoel ended his latest Tour as Tour de France runner-up, but said this podium felt different. The Belgian described a stronger sense of control after finishing second overall in Paris on Sunday.
In 2024, his first Tour de France brought third overall and a white jersey podium. Evenepoel was emotional then, after reaching a level he said he had not dared to imagine.
This time, he arrived with a clearer plan. He said the goal was to take a stage and fight for the overall podium.
On Sunday evening, Evenepoel said he felt ‘in control of myself’ throughout the race. He also said his team controlled how it wanted the Tour to unfold.
Tour de France runner-up reflects on control
Evenepoel is now 26, and he pointed to maturity as part of the change. He also said difficult moments had helped him manage pressure.
Those lows include injuries, poor results, and his DNF in last year’s Tour. Evenepoel said repeated setbacks had taught him how to cope.
He also credited support at home from his wife, Oumi. Evenepoel said cycling rarely dominates their conversations when he returns from racing.
He still trains, and much of life remains shaped around performance. Yet he said the bike goes back into the garage, and home life switches away from cycling.
That separation, he explained, helps him stay fresh for demanding blocks. During the Tour, he knows he must stay fully engaged for a month or longer.
Evenepoel has long raced with visible emotion. At the Paris Olympics, a late puncture during his solo road race victory triggered a frantic bike-change request.
He climbed off, dropped his bike, and shouted toward the following car. The moment was understandable, given the stakes, but it showed his competitive edge.
In this Tour, Evenepoel appeared more restrained. There was one flare-up with a Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe staff member after stage 20, but it looked isolated.
Evenepoel said setbacks have helped him stay calmer when a race goes well. He believes that gives him better control of key situations.
He also called second overall a major achievement. He finished behind Tadej Pogačar, who equaled the record, and said sharing that podium was an honor.
Montmartre move tempered by next target
The final stage in Paris brought Evenepoel back to Montmartre, the climb tied to his Olympic road race victory. He was active near the front on stage 21.
Pogačar and eventual stage winner Mathieu van der Poel went clear over the second of three climbs. Evenepoel bridged across soon after.
Mads Pedersen then joined them, and the group worked to stay away. The chasing riders eventually brought them back.
Evenepoel eased his approach on the final lap. He said the small group still contained sprinters and felt nervous, so he started thinking about next week.
He was not willing to take major positioning risks before another important race. That race is the Clásica San Sebastián, where he will seek a fourth career win next Saturday.
After that, Evenepoel plans to target the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and Montréal. The world championships are also on his program.
Belgian Tour ambition remains
The larger goal remains the Tour de France title. No Belgian rider has won the race since Lucien van Impe in 1976, a full 50 years ago.
Evenepoel accepted that Pogačar was far above the opposition in this Tour. Still, he left Paris believing he had moved closer to the top.
He highlighted his level in the second and third weeks. He pointed to stage 15 and stage 20 as strong climbing performances.
Evenepoel also cited the time trial. He said the first part of the climb included one of his best 15-minute efforts.
Most importantly, he saw no signs of cracking after what he called a perfect preparation. The Tour de France runner-up result showed him and his team he could sustain a high level for three weeks.