The early season race against the clock served as a race-speed dress rehearsal for the Tour de France team time trial in Barcelona that Evenepoel and Co. will face in July.
Evenepoel helps power Red Bull to victory in his season debut at Mallorca. (Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
Published January 29, 2026 10:14AM
The Remco Evenepoel era at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe began the only way it realistically could — with a victory.
Racing for the first time in Red Bull colors after the most expensive transfer the sport’s ever seen, Evenepoel drove his new team to the “W” in Thursday’s 23.8km team time trial at close to 60kph on the roads of Mallorca.
“What we did today was really close to perfection for this TTT,” Evenepoel told Eurosport. “It wasn’t a hard course for elevation, but a team time trial is always pretty hard. We had a structured plan, and it turned out well, so we have to be happy.”
The fast TTT doubled as a race-speed dress rehearsal for the opening stage of the Tour de France waiting in July, where the Tour opens with a team time trial on the urban streets of Barcelona.
Unlike traditional team time trials, where the clock stops on the fourth or fifth rider, the Tour’s July test will count each rider individually, even if raced as a full squad.
Still, Thursday’s victorious debut counted, and it was just what his new bosses at Red Bull spent millions of dollars on.
Anything else would have been seen as a disaster.
Test run for Barcelona
Evenepoel, center, celebrates his first win in Red Bull colors. (Photo: Tim de Waele/Getty Images)
Racing with many of the riders who will be at his side in July, Evenepoel powered Red Bull to the win, though the margin was far tighter than anyone expected after Movistar came within four seconds.
At the intermediate time check, Red Bull ranked only third. The race hinged on a key climb, where Evenepoel steadied the team and then poured on the gas in the final kilometers.
“We are one-for-one in team time trials, so we started well,” Evenepoel said with a laugh. “It was nice to start here with some strong guys, who are on the ‘long list’ [for Tour de France].
“Every race is different, so it’s hard to say where we can improve. Today was close to perfection. We’re ready to go to the Tour.”
Evenepoel continues his Mallorca block with Friday’s Trofeo Serra Tramuntana and Saturday’s Trofeo Andratx-Pollença, two punchy one-day races that will further hone his early-season condition.
His WorldTour debut comes at the UAE Tour next month, when he’ll face off against Jonas Vingegaard.
Thursday’s lineup also hinted at the larger goals at the center of what this season is all about.
Co-captain Florian Lipowitz also debuted his 2026 season, along with several riders racing Thursday, including Mattia Cattaneo, Gianni Moscon, Maxim Van Gils, and Nico Denz, all on the team’s Tour long list.
Key staffers followed in the team car, including sport directors Klaas Lodewyck and Patxi Vila. Red Bull is just revving things up.
Evenepoel was typically blunt when he spoke to journalists this week about his season’s Tour de France goals after joining cycling’s newest super team.
“I feel that, if everything goes well, I can fight for second place,” he said earlier this week. “First place? That all depends on how strong Tadej and Jonas are.”
The Evenepoel Era at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe is now officially underway.
A win was all but mandatory Thursday, and Red Bull got it. His new bosses will be happy.