‘Head rolled off’ or smart decision: Was Remco Evenepoel right to withdraw from Tour de France 2025?
Published 20/07/2025 at 14:47 GMT+1
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Was Remco Evenepoel right to withdraw from the Tour de France, despite sitting third in the general classification? The Breakaway team on TNT Sports discussed the matter ahead of Stage 15, with Robbie McEwen suggesting it may have been a clever tactic by his team Soudal Quick-Step. However, Adam Blythe believes the Belgian could have been persuaded to continue in France.
‘There’s so many things we don’t know’ – Breakaway debate Evenepoel withdrawal
Video credit: TNT Sports
The Belgian (Soudal Quick-Step) came into the Tour as one of the favourites to challenge Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates XRG) for the yellow jersey.
After over two weeks of racing, he sat third in the general classification and held the white jersey for best young rider.
However, he struggled in the mountains on Thursday and suffered the ignominy of being overtaken by rival Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) in Friday's time trial.
He was then dropped early on Saturday and soon pulled over to abandon.
Ahead of Stage 15, TNT Sports' Breakaway team discussed whether Evenepoel had made the right decision in calling it quits with a week still to go.
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Merlier ‘really surprised’ by Evenepoel withdrawal but admits ‘we are on the limit’
Video credit: TNT Sports
"I'm not going to condemn him for pulling out," said Robbie McEwen. "I mean, yeah, I'm sure he could have ridden through the rest of the stage and got to the finish completely blown away off GC.
"But there's so many things we don't know. We don't know how long this has been creeping up – they’re not going to give us any medical information about exactly what's going on.
"So, I think it's too early to condemn him and say he shouldn't have pulled out.
"Yeah, I think physically, he could have ridden through to the end, but probably not made his mark in the rest of the race."
Evenepoel has explained that he could not participate in a single training session after the Criterium du Dauphine, where he finished fourth in the general classification, due to fatigue.
McEwen continued: "So they [Soudal Quick-Step] consider, ‘this is our prized possession. Let's have the short pain, pull out of the Tour and figure out what's going on’.
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'Really frustrated' - Evenepoel tells cameras to 'go away' as he exits Tour de France
Video credit: TNT Sports
"The rest of the season is coming and get some return on investment rather than push on while he's still got something wrong with him and then maybe compromise the entire rest of the season, maybe going into even next season.
"Although we're not sure if they care about next season because the rumour mill is saying different things."
The 25-year-old has been linked with a move away from Soudal Quick-Step, with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe said to be leading the way for his signature.
Meanwhile, Adam Blythe suggested Evenepoel might have continued had an experienced rider been present to guide him through.
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"I think he needed someone who had a higher profile than him in terms of results in that team," said Blythe.
"If the likes of someone like Philippe Gilbert, an ex-team-mate, was with him, I think he could have got him by the back and said ‘you ride to the top of this climb with me and then see how it goes’.
"He doesn't have that person behind him to say, ‘no, you do this out of respect for your team’.
"And I'm not saying that he didn't try, but I think you needed an elder statesman in that situation.
"For me, it looks like he’s got bad legs but his head has rolled off."
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