Remco Evenepoel is not the only leader at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe for the upcoming Tour de France: he shares the leadership with Florian Lipowitz. Although the Belgian himself says he has no problem with that, Patrick Lefevere has his doubts.
"He says he wants to win the Tour and beat Tadej Pogacar. I wish him good luck," says Lefevere, who will be Evenepoel’s former team manager at Soudal Quick-Step until the end of 2024, in an interview with Sporza. "He has the potential, but I think Pogacar is still in a league of his own at the moment. (...) Remco has already faced a lot of setbacks. If he has a good winter now and can do what he wants, then we’ll see."
Lefevere is still a 'fan' of Evenepoel, who he believes can take another step forward after leaving Soudal Quick-Step and joining Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. "I don’t know if it’s better than with our team. Or rather, my former team. We always tried our best, but with the resources we had. But how do they say it? New air makes you eat."
"They have more money and can do what they want, but you can’t buy the Tour. He’ll have to do it with his legs and his head. Probably he has a better team, but with us he was the sole leader," Lefevere points out that Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe also boasts Lipowitz, the third-place finisher at the 2025 Tour de France. "He (Evenepoel, ed.) says he has no problem with that now, but knowing him..."
"And the other one is German. I’m looking forward to it. If they get along well, something can come of it. But I am not madame soleil," Lefevere means that he cannot predict the future.
Lefevere’s Health
Lefevere, who celebrated his 71st birthday Tuesday, also gave an update on his own health in the interview with Sporza. In November 2025, he was hospitalized for weeks. "I spent a month in the hospital, but here I am and everyone says I look well. Although I know people can be good at lying," he says with a grin. "Did I fear it was over? No, I didn’t know. When you’re in such a condition... I’d experienced it once before at 45 (in 2000 he had a tumor, ed.), but you forget quickly. But now I’m doing well."
