Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) has identified an opportunity to take the yellow jersey during the first week of the 2025 Tour de France, describing the parcours as "a very special route, but very beautiful."
The Belgian finished third overall on his Tour debut this summer, taking the white best young rider's jersey and professing his love for the Tour. Evenepoel took victory in the stage 7 time trial in Gevrey-Chambertin along the way and will hope to do the same in the 33km time trial on stage 5 in Caen next July.
However, he said that the two time trials – including the second 11km mountain test at Peyragudes – won't have an outsize impact on the final GC standings.
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"A time trial so early in the race gives me a chance to take the yellow jersey in the first week," Evenepoel told L'Equipe following the Tour de France route presentation on Tuesday.
"That won't have much importance for the general classification because there are still a lot of mountains and stages to follow."
The 2025 Tour de France will kick off in the northern city of Lille near the Belgian border, giving the sprinters a chance to battle for the first leader's yellow jersey.
The Tour features a mountain-heavy route, with summit finishes at Hautacam, Superbagnères, Mont Ventoux, the Col de la Loze and La Plagne accompanying the mountain time trial.
"It's a very special route, but very beautiful!" Evenepoel said.
"The Grand Départ is not too far from my home and from Belgium," he added, perhaps in a call for support next July.
"The mountain stages seem beautiful to me with a lot of mythical cols to climb."
