Red Bull reveals secret plans for Evenepoel to race cobbled monument on Sunday have been in the works for months.
(Photo: Getty Images)
Updated April 1, 2026 07:21AM
Remco Evenepoel will line up alongside Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel on Sunday for a surprise debut at the Tour of Flanders.
And no, that’s not an April Fools.
The news was confirmed by Evenepoel, team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe, and Tour of Flanders officials in separate social media posts on Wednesday.
The stunning announcement ends a wave of recent “will-he won’t-he” debate among Belgian media.
Multiple outlets reported this week that the 26-year-old would add the race to his program ahead of a blitz on the Ardennes classics later in the month.
Nonetheless, team Red Bull repeatedly pushed back against the speculation.
Management maintained that their Belgian megastar would follow a risk-free path through his first season with the team. The Ardennes, Tour de France, and Montréal worlds were his three pillars for 2026.
Red Bull Bora-Hansgrohe posted a statement later on Wednesday to reveal the project has been in the works for months.
“The connection between Remco and the Tour of Flanders is deep and emotional. A plan like this does not come together overnight. We deliberately kept it under the radar to create a special moment for the fans – revealing it as a surprise on April 1,” said team CEO Ralph Denk.
“The fact that we were able to keep this internal for more than 100 days speaks to the cohesion and unity of this team.”
Evenepoel and De Ronde? Expect drama
Evenepoel has not raced a marquee cobblestone classic in his pro career. Nobody will be expecting him to hang with Pogačar and Van der Poel in their monument clash this weekend.
However, many believe Evenepoel’s climbing punch and one-day prowess make him a future winner of the Ronde van Vlaanderen.
Evenepoel added to the hype about his Flanders potential this winter when he was spotted riding the race’s kingmaker Oude Kwaremont and Paterberg climbs.
Could Evenepoel stun the world and win the Tour of Flanders on debut?
He’d be the first Belgian winner since Philippe Gilbert in 2017 if he did.
Whatever the outcome for Evenepoel in Belgian cycling’s “Holy Day,” expect a dose of drama.