<\/p>\n
And in Naesen\u2019s eyes, that is exactly why Evenepoel should embrace the challenge rather than delay it. \u201cIf the Ronde opens up early, that\u2019s better for Evenepoel. The peloton becomes smaller and positioning into the climbs becomes less important.\u201d<\/p>\n
It is a striking reversal of the scepticism that once greeted Pogacar\u2019s own classics ambitions. As Marc Sergeant<\/a> reminded in the same discussion: \u201cWhen Pogacar said he would ride the Ronde the first time, we all thought: what\u2019s he coming here for? A week later we knew.\u201dDe Wolf: \u201cHe\u2019s not going to stay 25 \u2013 if the chance to win comes, he has to take it\u201d<\/p>\n Former rider and analyst Dirk De Wolf believes Evenepoel is not just capable of riding Flanders \u2013 he should treat it as a priority while he still has the freshness and explosiveness to win it.<\/p>\n \u201cThe finale is brutally hard \u2013 two times the Oude Kwaremont, two times the Paterberg, the Koppenberg. Remco can do that. Yes, it\u2019s on cobbles, but it\u2019s uphill. He can put out his power there and his body shape helps him.\u201d<\/p>\n For De Wolf, this is exactly why the Belgian should not postpone a debut until later in his career. \u201cHe\u2019s not going to stay 25. If the chance to win comes, he has to grab it. If you wait until you\u2019re 33, it\u2019s too late.\u201d<\/p>\n De Wolf even suggested an ideal calendar structure that would allow Evenepoel to target both major cobbled and hilly classics without compromising his summer ambitions: \u201cYou can skip Brabantse Pijl and Amstel and still ride Milano\u2013Sanremo<\/a> and the Tour of Flanders. I\u2019d really recommend it.\u201dWhy Evenepoel fits Flanders better than many think<\/p>\n Both Naesen and De Wolf highlighted the same underlying belief: Evenepoel possesses the engine, the aerodynamics and the sustained climbing strength to handle the decisive phase of the Ronde.<\/p>\n The long, grinding accelerations on the Oude Kwaremont naturally suit him, while the repeated climbs reward riders who can produce high, steady power rather than those relying on short explosive bursts. It is the kind of terrain where GC capabilities become a genuine weapon \u2014 something Pogacar demonstrated emphatically with his dominance in recent editions.<\/p>\n Add Evenepoel\u2019s runner-up finish at the recent World Championships on cobbles and the case becomes even stronger.<\/p>\n What complicates matters is the one weakness Naesen keeps returning to: positioning. Last spring, Evenepoel repeatedly found himself starting key climbs too far back, a trend Naesen described as \u201ca real problem\u201d \u2014 and one that a team like UAE would not hesitate to exploit on a climb such as the Cipressa or in the early cobbled sectors of Flanders.<\/p>\n The only obstacle? His Grand Tour ambitions<\/p>\n The only factor that could prevent Evenepoel from committing to both Milano\u2013Sanremo and Flanders is his 2026 Grand Tour schedule.<\/p>\n