Remco Evenepoel to pick five of seven of Soudal-Quickstep’s Giro d’Italia squad for Grand Tour attempt

Remco Evenepoel will be allowed to pick five of his Soudal-Quickstep team-mates for the Giro d’Italia next year.

The current Vuelta a Espana champion will pursue a different Grand Tour in 2023 and he will be given the chance to build much of the team to his specifications as he looks to win a second of cycling’s major races.

The Belgian will be Soudal-QuickStep’s leader, and will face competition from riders such as Geraint Thomas (Ineos Grenadiers), Aleksandr Vlasov (Bora-Hansgrohe) and Primoz Roglic of Jumbo-Visma.

Belgian team Soudal-Quickstep will permit him to choose five riders, which means there will be two free spots for the squad to be decided after the 22-year-old is accounted for.

“That’s based on the individual programmes throughout the season and also seeing who fits in best and who is willing and able to go.”

This year’s victory at the Vuelta was assisted by team-mates Julian Alaphilippe, Ilan van Wilder and Fausto Masnada.

Frenchman Alaphilippe is believed to be prioritising tilts at the 2023 Tour de France and the Flemish Classics, and could feature in support of Evenepoel, as could Van Wilder. The team also brought in Jan Hurt who is an expert hill climber from the Czech Republic.

Mauri Vansevenant, Mattia Cattaneo and Andrea Bagioli are also options.

Evenepoel hopes to finish in the top three, as well as secure wins in a time trial and a mountain stage.

“I want to win at least one stage, preferably one of the three time trials,” he said. “I’d also like to win a mountain stage, so that’s two stage wins. And then I’m aiming for the top three in the general classification, a place on the podium.”

“The Giro is a completely different race,” he continued. “The mountains on the route have their own characteristics. You always have to be realistic, and I think that a podium finish in a Grand Tour is already a great achievement.”

Since joining the team in 2019, Evenepoel has nine stage race wins, not including the Vuelta, as well as eight major one-day races.

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