Remco Evenepoel is demonstrating early-season form, continuing a run of aggressive racing and success with his new team, Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. The Belgian cyclist is preparing to compete at the Volta Comunitat Valenciana this week before moving on to the UAE Tour for his first WorldTour event of .
Evenepoel enjoyed a perfect debut with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe at the Challenge Mallorca, achieving a 100% strike rate with three victories. The team also secured a win at the Trofeo Palma, thanks to Arne Marit, resulting in four victories out of five races at the Challenge Mallorca. Evenepoel was instrumental in the Trofeo Ses Salines team time trial win and then secured solo victories in the Trofeo Serra Tramuntana and the Trofeo Andratx-Pollença.
“I’m really happy with how it went, three days, good feeling with the team too, it’s all very positive to start like this,” Evenepoel told Eurosport. “It’s always good to win early in the season. After my problems last year, it’s great to win a [mass start] road race, it took me some time to win again. I’m happy to open my account with my new team pretty early. It showed we did some good work in the winter and that we’re going in a good direction so far.”
The Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, taking place from to , is a key early-season race for many WorldTour riders. It has a long history, dating back to , and has evolved into a significant preparation event for both general classification contenders and those aiming for success in the spring classics.
The race features a strong startlist each year, attracting riders looking to take advantage of the favorable weather and familiar roads to kickstart their seasons. This year’s edition is expected to be a challenging contest, with Evenepoel looking to continue his winning streak.
Elsewhere in cycling news, Biniam Girmay of the NSN Cycling Team secured a victory at the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana stage 1, marking his first win in over a year. Girmay was able to rejoin the peloton after being dropped on the Puerto Los Madroños climb and ultimately found the energy to win.
“This gives me enormous confidence for the season,” Girmay said. “Of course, it wasn’t easy for me to leave a structure where I had spent five years, but I realize it was the right time. This team is much bigger. The way the staff manages the riders is incredible. Here, the riders are better supported. I am very happy to wear this jersey.”
Dimitri Claeys, the sports director who also arrived from Intermarché-Wanty, expressed his satisfaction with the team’s environment. “Bini is super important for the team and his teammates believe a lot in him,” he stated. “Our ambitions are clear: we want to compete for victory in the spring classics and win a stage of the Tour with Bini.” Girmay is scheduled to participate in Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne before tackling the Flemish races.
However, Mads Pedersen experienced misfortune, being forced to abandon the race after a crash. The Danish rider is undergoing medical examinations to determine the extent of his injuries.
