Holidays have not yet started for Remco Evenepoel, and the three-time world time trial champion has returned to Europe after spending a week in the United States at the Specialized center in Morgan Hill.

Evenepoel was not alone, and with him were 15 other people including staff and athletes, all belonging to the Red Bull - Bora-Hansgrohe team. Remco was accompanied by two aerodynamics experts, two mechanics, the development director, sports director Zak Dempster, and a physiotherapist who took care of his shoulder, which remained slightly more sensitive due to the accident last December.

A large group presented themselves at Specialized's door, and in addition to the technical staff, Giulio Pellizzari and Florian Lipowitz were also present, while Primoz Roglic was notably absent. Before returning to the area entirely dedicated to aerodynamics, Wednesday evening Remco wanted to test his position on a track and reflect on his positioning, before addressing various issues with the staff. The two-time Olympic champion has visited the Specialized center several times over the years, which has always been the technical sponsor of Soudal-Quick Step.

Therefore, the Belgian has the advantage that, by changing teams, he will not need to change equipment. Evenepoel is not just one of the most important ambassadors for the American manufacturer, because his relationship with the company goes far beyond commercial or sponsorship terms: the Belgian is seen as an important element in developing and improving bikes used in the World Tour. The close collaboration is clearly reflected in Evenepoel's American program, which includes meetings with staff, photo shoots, video recordings, and even a video conference with Specialized representatives from around the world, a bike fitting session, and wind tunnel tests.

"Remco's days are always full, but often he's the one who wants to do even more," explained Leo Menville, Specialized's road sector manager. Monday and Tuesday he spent extremely long hours in our wind tunnel, simply testing his time trial bike position. He was at the wind tunnels as early as 7:00 AM and left around 6:00 PM. His dedication and attention to detail are even more impressive considering he is a three-time world champion who has won most of the season's time trials by a wide margin."

Evenepoel's precision has always been known when it comes to materials, and he has always wanted to work closely with development technicians. Evenepoel has practically won everything with his time trial bike, but his desire is to improve every year. No matter how small the margin of improvement, it's important for him to always take a small step forward. "When you see Remco, you can think he's racing in a separate championship with his time trial bike. He could relax a bit if he wanted, but he does the opposite and is as precise as an F1 driver."

Entering the wind tunnel is always fascinating, and seeing the study behind it is truly impressive. Everything is analyzed starting from a single pedal stroke to the millimeter control of positioning, because the goal is always to improve and push bike technology further.

"The great advantage of the work we do in winter is that we can bring together everyone involved in the construction and supply of all equipment," continued Menville. "I can't go into too much detail about what we tested in recent days, but it was during these sessions that the idea for the new visor of the time trial helmet that Remco wore this season was born. Thanks to our laboratory and the presence of all our engineers, we can develop prototypes quickly and relatively simply. Remco must understand everything; he's excellent at giving feedback, but he also trusts others and what we observe and propose."

The tests are finished for now, and further trials will be conducted at the beginning of next year, particularly after the complete routes of the Giro d'Italia and Vuelta a España are revealed. Red Bull-Bora Hansgrohe has invested heavily and next year wants to win at least one grand tour and, particularly with Remco Evenepoel, wants to conquer another world championship jersey.