Surprise: Remco Evenepoel Spotted on Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg

Remco Evenepoel was spotted on Sunday at Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg. This was reported by sources to Het Nieuwsblad. Short video footage obtained by the newspaper also shows the new Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe team leader training in a black kit in that region. He is said to have climbed those hills at least twice.

Evenepoel’s soon-to-be teammate Gianni Vermeersch was also seen on the Oude Kwaremont and the Paterberg. These climbs have been the iconic finale of the Tour of Flanders for years. Evenepoel and Vermeersch were accompanied in the Flemish Ardennes by Sven Vanthourenhout and Klaas Lodewyck, who will be team directors for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe next season.

What could a training session by Evenepoel on these iconic Tour of Flanders climbs signify? Earlier in December, he presented a program that consciously left out the 'Flemish Holy Mass'.

"We want to have a normal season. [...] Without too many crazy things," Evenepoel said at the time. "Hopefully I will have a season without interruptions. What the future holds is for later to worry about. This season will be busy enough already and that is why we decided not to do Flanders."

"Of course, as a Belgian, he always has the desire to take part in De Ronde," said Red Bull’s new sporting director, Zakari Dempster. "Whether you are a cobblestone specialist or not, it is a special race." But the main reason Evenepoel joined this team is because he wants to compete with Tadej Pogačar in the Tour de France and to try to beat him."

"Now it is up to us to create the best plan that we all believe he can succeed in. At this moment, we do not believe that participating in the Tour of Flanders contributes to that."