Red Bull isn’t afraid of the risks of Paris-Roubaix and encourages Evenepoel to give it a go

Remco Evenepoel could add one of the major challenges missing from his 2027 calendar. After debuting this year in the Tour of Flanders and stepping onto the podium, the Belgian has shown interest in competing in Paris-Roubaix, and now it has been Ralph Denk himself, the head of Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, who has confirmed that the team would be willing to support that decision.

Remco Evenepoel could debut in Paris-Roubaix in 2027: Red Bull gives him the freedom to face the Hell of the North

The possibility of seeing Evenepoel in the Hell of the North is starting to take shape, although there is still no decision regarding his participation. In an interview with Eurosport, Ralph Denk expressed his support for his rider to face the cobblestones of northern France, but made it clear that the initiative must come from the cyclist himself.

"I think Remco could do well there. But it has to come from him; otherwise, it won't work," explained the German director.

Denk went even further by stating that he does not consider participating in Paris-Roubaix to necessarily pose a risk to Evenepoel's major goals. "If he wants to try and prepare specifically for it, something he has never done before, we are open. We wouldn't be afraid of him getting injured there or jeopardizing other goals."

His debut in Flanders has opened the door to Roubaix

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Until this season, Evenepoel had built much of his palmarès in grand tours, time trials, and more selective classics, but his debut in the Tour of Flanders in 2026 showed that he could also compete at the highest level on the cobblestones.

The Belgian finished third, only surpassed by Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel. A result that reinforced his aspirations in the Flemish classics, although he himself later acknowledged the frustration of not being able to follow his two rivals at the decisive moment.

"I felt the greatest pain in my legs and in my heart when I realized, at the end of the Tour of Flanders, that I could no longer close the five seconds gap with Pogačar and Van der Poel," he recently explained to the Belgian newspaper Het Laatste Nieuws.

After that race, Evenepoel had already opened the possibility of debuting in Paris-Roubaix. He even acknowledged that Mathieu van der Poel had brought up the matter during their conversations.

Before the Amstel Gold Race, the Belgian referred to the issue again and pointed out that a first contact with the route could be part of the preparation for 2027.

However, Flanders and Roubaix present very different demands. While the Tour of Flanders combines climbs, cobblestones, and constant changes of pace, Paris-Roubaix requires tackling long stretches of almost flat pave, where positioning, endurance, technique, and the ability to maintain high power for hours are crucial.

Therefore, a potential participation by Evenepoel would require specific preparation, as Denk himself has acknowledged.

Evenepoel will change his way of preparing for the season in 2027

The possible presence in Roubaix comes at a time when Evenepoel and Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe are reviewing the sports planning for next year.

The Belgian has just completed his first season with the German team and believes that his 2026 calendar was too demanding and that he needs to spend more time preparing for his main goals.

"One thing is for sure: I won't start competing as early as this year," he recently assured. The Belgian explained that his joining Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe led him to seek results from the beginning of the season to adapt to his new team as soon as possible.

Now he intends to prioritize training blocks and avoid chaining competitions without the specific preparation he considers necessary to perform at his best.

This new strategy could affect his participation in the spring classics, especially if he ultimately decides to include Paris-Roubaix in his program.