Evenepoel reveals his power data and fuels the debate ahead of the Tour

With less than a month to go before the start of the 2026 Tour de France, Remco Evenepoel has revealed one of the lesser-known aspects of his preparation. The leader of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe has shared images of his altitude training at Teide and, in a rather unusual move for modern cycling, has unveiled one of the most coveted numbers in the peloton: his threshold power.

Remco Evenepoel reveals a key data point in his preparation for the Tour: 425 watts that explain his focus on Teide

At a time when the big names in cycling hardly publish training data, the Belgian Olympic champion has allowed a glimpse into how he is building his form for the Grande Boucle, a race he will arrive at after more than two months without competing.

After competing in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Evenepoel practically disappeared from the competitive calendar. Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe decided to remove the Critérium du Dauphiné from their program and focus on a completely controlled altitude training, aimed at accumulating training load away from competition.

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In a video published on his YouTube channel, the Belgian shows part of his stay at Teide alongside the technical team led by Dan Lorang, one of the most recognized coaches in professional cycling, who will leave the structure at the end of the season to join Lidl-Trek.

Beyond the everyday images of the training camp, the interest in the video arises during a demanding session aimed at preparing for the major climbs of the Tour de France.

A 4.5-hour session to build the engine for the Tour

The training was designed to work near the threshold for long periods of time. In total, Evenepoel completed a 4.5-hour ride that included:

• 1 interval of 15 minutes
• 2 intervals of 12 minutes
• 1 interval of 10 minutes
• 2 final intervals of 8 minutes

This was not an explosive training session or one of maximum intensity. The goal was to accumulate time at a very high but sustainable intensity, simulating the effort he will need to maintain during the long alpine and Pyrenean climbs of the Tour.

Throughout the session, Dan Lorang conducted periodic lactate checks to ensure that the work was being done in the intended zone.

The analyses showed stable values between 3.5 and 3.6 mmol/L, exactly the range the coaches were looking for for this type of work. “It’s perfect,” comments Lorang in the video after one of the measurements.

The 425 watts that have caught the peloton's attention

The data that has generated the most impact is the direct reference to a power output of 425 watts during these threshold efforts.

As Lorang explains, 420 watts would place Evenepoel slightly below his physiological limit, while 425 watts would represent approximately the target intensity for this type of prolonged efforts.

Although the team has not officially published his FTP (Functional Threshold Power), the lactate values observed during the session allow us to estimate that the Belgian is around that figure.

Taking an approximate weight of 64 kilos, those 425 watts would equate to about 6.6 W/kg, a figure reserved for the absolute elite of world cycling.

Is he at Pogacar's level?

The comparison with Tadej Pogacar has been inevitable. Earlier this year, the Slovenian revealed his power zones on Strava and previous statements. Most analyses place the leader of UAE Team Emirates-XRG in a range of approximately 420 to 440 watts.

On paper, the numbers of both riders seem very similar. However, specialists remind us that comparing only the FTP can be misleading. Modern cycling is increasingly decided by the ability to repeat maximum efforts after several hours of competition, what is known as durability, the resistance to accumulated fatigue, and explosiveness in decisive pace changes.

Evenepoel himself has acknowledged on several occasions that one of the differences compared to Pogacar lies in those explosive efforts of a few minutes that the Slovenian is capable of chaining time and again in races.

A message before the Tour

Beyond the figure itself, it has also surprised that Evenepoel decided to show it publicly.

The top riders in the WorldTour usually protect their training data with great care. Power outputs, heart rates, or lactate levels are strategic information that rarely leaves the internal realm of the teams.

That’s why many interpret this publication as a demonstration of confidence in the work done during these months.

After forgoing any preparatory competition since the end of April, the Belgian will arrive at the Tour de France with many uncertainties about his actual form. What seems clear is that the numbers he is handling at Teide are on par with the best climbers in the world and reinforce the ambitious goal of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe to try to compete for the yellow jersey.