Remco Evenepoel faces multiple rivals, not just Isaac Del Toro, in UAE Tour
Remco Evenepoel will start tomorrow as the top favorite for the UAE Tour. His biggest competitor on paper? Isaac Del Toro. But Evenepoel doesn’t want to fixate on the Mexican from UAE Emirates XRG.
"As always, I’m trying to win, no matter what," Evenepoel said about his ambitions to Sporza. "I want to have another strong week with the team, grab some victories, and make progress. This is a WorldTour race. At this stage in my career, WorldTour wins mean more to me than ProTour wins," said the Belgian, who hasn’t won a WorldTour stage race since the 2023 UAE Tour.
'I don’t write anyone off'
Evenepoel has already had a strong start to the season. Counting the Trofeo Ses Salines (a team time trial), he has already scored six wins in eight race days. This includes the Tour of Valencia, where he notably outgunned Joao Almeida. At the UAE Tour, Evenepoel faces one of the other key riders of UAE Emirates XRG. No, not Tadej Pogacar, but Isaac Del Toro.
"They are definitely strong, with not only Isaac Del Toro but also Adam Yates, who performed well in Oman," Evenepoel says about the 'home team'. "On paper, it makes sense that it will be a battle with Isaac, but there’s always a chance someone else can take the win, like Lennert Van Eetvelt has done here before. I don’t write anyone off."
That same Van Eetvelt (2024 winner) is also starting again this year, but on paper men like Antonio Tiberi, Derek Gee-West, and Felix look like tougher rivals for Evenepoel. The Aerokogel from Schepdaal does have the advantage that in the time trial on day two, he was able to build a time gap over everyone. "I’m trying to win that stage and gain time," he adds.
Jebel Mobrah
Another crucial stage will be the third, finishing at Jebel Mobrah, a newcomer to the UAE Tour. That day involves a tough climb of just over thirteen kilometres at around eight percent average gradient. Especially the last seven kilometres of this climb are brutal, averaging 12% with peaks up to 17%.
"That unfamiliar final climb will require a very specific effort," Evenepoel noted. "That’s why I also took part in races in Mallorca, where there was a 15-kilometre climb as well, though with different gradients."
