‘A big two weeks ahead’ - Without Pogačar on the start-line, Remco Evenepoel ascends to world championships favourite status after GP Québec victory

Remco Evenepoel has quickly become the top contender to defend his world road race title, following a strong performance at the GP Québec. The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe cyclist broke away from the group of favorites, including Lidl-Trek's Giulio Ciccone and Uno-X Mobility's Anton Charmig, finishing the race by outpacing them on the final climb.

This victory comes after Evenepoel's triumph at the same event in 2022, and his current position is bolstered by Tadej Pogačar's early exit from the season due to an accident at the Vuelta a España.

Evenepoel will now face the challenge of winning the GP Montréal on Sunday, followed by his attempt to claim the world championships time-trial title for the fourth consecutive time and a second road title the week after. Despite his successes, Evenepoel acknowledges there is still room for improvement, stating he wants to use the upcoming two weeks to enhance his sensations and performance.

He emphasized the importance of staying calm and approaching each day as a new opportunity, knowing that Sunday and the subsequent Sundays will present more challenges.

Evenepoel's rivals, such as Juan Ayuso, Isaac del Toro, and Tom Pidcock, all encountered difficulties in the GP Québec. Ayuso suffered a crash in the final sprint from the chasing group, while del Toro finished over five minutes behind Evenepoel, and Pidcock secured fourth place after attacking the Ayuso-Seixas group on the final ascent.

Although Evenepoel's dominance in the coming two weeks remains uncertain, the top favorites have been away on training camps, which may affect their performance upon their return to racing. The 2026 UCI road world championships commence in Montréal on September 20th, with elite time trials on September 26th and 27th.