Evenepoel eyes yellow jersey as time trial set to test Tour favourites

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Cycling - Tour de France - Stage 3 - Valenciennes to Dunkirk - Dunkirk, France - July 7, 2025 Soudal Quick-Steps Remco Evenepoel reacts after stage 3 REUTERS/Sarah Meyssonnier/File Photo

ROUEN, France - Belgiums Remco Evenepoel has the yellow jersey in his sights as the leading contenders for the Tour de France are set to face their first major test of this years race with a time trial around Caen in the fifth stage on Wednesday.

The first of the two time trials will feature 200 metres of climbing over the 33km stage in the Normandy countryside.

Its very flat. Weve got a course thats going to be extremely rolling, race director Thierry Gouvenou said. Among the favourites, there may be some time to lose on this stage.

Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step),a two-time time trial world champion, is the overwhelming favourite for the stage, especially after Italys Filippo Ganna (Ineos Grenadiers) and Switzerlands Stefan Bissegger (Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale) withdrew on Saturday.

I cant wait for tomorrow. Its clear that the legs are there, and I hope Ill have the same tomorrow, Evenepoel told reporters after the fourth stage.

The double Olympic champion claimed his sole Tour de France win in a time trial last year but is already trailing reigning champion Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) by 58 seconds and two-time Tour winner Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) by 50 seconds in the overall standings.

I think we can make up the 58 seconds, Evenepoel said.