<\/p>\n
Vansummeren did not soften his verdict when assessing the chances of the former Tour stage winner making the 2026 selection. \u201cI fear for Jordi Meeus that a Tour selection will be difficult,\u201d he told Het Belang van Limburg \u2014 a stark reality check for a rider who has delivered on cycling\u2019s biggest stage.<\/p>\n
The logic behind the warning is simple. Red Bull – BORA now have three GC-calibre riders in Remco Evenepoel, Primoz Roglic<\/a> and Florian Lipowitz<\/a>, a trio Vansummeren believes will dictate everything from the race programme to the Tour\u2019s support structure. \u201cWill Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe really focus on sprint work with GC riders like Evenepoel, Lipowitz and Roglic in the team? I don\u2019t think so,\u201d he said. \u201cEspecially because the Tour opens with a team time trial, where aerodynamics will be crucial.\u201dEvenepoel gets the keys to the kingdom \u2014 but the Tour route won\u2019t spoil himWhat makes the situation even more complex is that this shift towards full out GC support comes in a year when the Tour de France<\/a> is not tailor-made for Evenepoel. \u201cRemco is absolutely not getting a Tour that is tailor-made for him,\u201d Vansummeren cautioned. The lack of early time trial kilometres, and the late scheduling of the TT that does exist, \u201calready wrings for a rider who likes to rely on his time trial.\u201d<\/p>\n On top of that, the parcours is brutal. \u201cThe road kicks up steeply on several occasions,\u201d he noted \u2014 a polite acknowledgement that Evenepoel will need to produce some of the best climbing performances of his career to stay in yellow contention.<\/p>\n And a Tour built on relentless climbing and narrow margins leaves zero room for \u201cluxury\u201d selections.<\/p>\n Meeus caught in the crossfire of a GC arms race<\/p>\n For Meeus, this situation amounts to a perfect storm. A Tour route geared towards climbing and aerodynamics, a squad placing all its weight behind Evenepoel\u2019s GC ambitions, and the added presence of Roglic and Lipowitz reinforcing that hierarchy all combine to close the door on sprinter-friendly selections.<\/p>\n Vansummeren argues that when a team commits to chasing the podium, riders who do not directly contribute to that mission naturally become expendable. As he phrased it, one rider\u2019s opportunity becomes another\u2019s disappointment.<\/p>\n And that leaves Meeus \u2014 the man who conquered the Champs-Elysees not long ago \u2014 looking at a 2026 Tour de France that may be slipping out of reach, not because he lacks form or ability, but because the internal dynamics at Red Bull – BORA – hansgrohe have shifted decisively away from his strengths.<\/p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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