Remco Evenepoel won’t race the Giro d’Italia in 2026 and has instead opted for a “normal” run into the Tour de France during his first season with new team Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe.

The German team revealed on Wednesday that the Olympic champion will start as GC co-leader at the Tour, alongside third-place finisher from the 2025 edition, Florian Lipowitz.

Evenepoel joined Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe as a marquee signing from Soudal-QuickStep after breaking his contract a year early this summer.

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However, he will intend to do at least some of the Ardennes Classics, wtih Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège on the agenda, whilst a Flèche Wallonne start may also come, depending on the weather at the race which can be cold and wet.

“I think it’s a team that suits me very well and my character and my ambitions.

Florian Lipowitz, Remco Evenepoel and Primoz Roglic at Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe media day

Red Bull’s three leaders announced their schedules together at the team’s media day on Wednesday (Image credit: Future / James Moultrie)

With Evenepoel and Lipowitz taking the reins in France, Primož Roglič will lead Red Bull at the Vuelta, while former Giro winner Jai Hindley and rising Italian GC talent Giulio Pellizzari take on the Giro.

Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe presented their top riders’ schedules to the media in Binissalem, 20 minutes north of Palma on the Balearic Island of Mallorca, with Evenepoel flanked by Lipowitz, Roglič, team boss Ralph Denk and Chief of Sports Zak Dempster on stage.

Evenepoel has been training in Soudal-QuickStep kit throughout his first training camp with the team after arriving in Mallorca on Saturday, as his time with the Belgian outfit officially ends on January 1.

However, he has already been spotted on a newly gold-detailed Red Bull Specialized Tarmac SL8, to recognise his status as the Olympic champion from Paris 2024.