Evenepoel’s pedigree is undeniable — a Vuelta a Espana title, stage wins across all three Grand Tours, and World and Olympic time trial golds. But as Hatch pointed out, “Evenepoel hasn’t won a WorldTour stage race in over two years.” The implication is clear: while the Belgian has delivered major victories, his consistency over three-week races remains under scrutiny.
The move also throws up questions elsewhere in the peloton. Hatch noted the potential knock-on effect at Soudal – Quick-Step, suggesting they may now shift away from GC ambitions: “Early signs point to a pivot back to their former classics and sprint identity,” Hatch claims.
Incoming signings back this up — Jasper Stuyven and Dylan van Baarle are both expected to join the Belgian squad, while Edward Planckaert, who impressed at the Giro d’Italia, arrives from Alpecin–Deceuninck. And at Red Bull – BORA -hansgrohe, Evenepoel’s arrival brings added uncertainty for Primoz Roglic, another high-profile GC rider already on the team’s books.
Hatch stopped short of forecasting outcomes but framed the move as a defining moment for both rider and team: a chance for Red Bull to reforge BORA into a true Grand Tour outfit, and for Evenepoel to reset his own ambitions at the highest level.