The UAE Tour 2026 sends Remco Evenepoel to the Volta a Catalunya in rather disappointing fashion. The Belgian struggled on neither Jebel Mobrah nor Jebel Hafeet, demonstrating that there is still work to be done on long climbs if he hopes to target a new podium finish at the Tour de France.

Remco had admitted openly that he came to the Emirates to win everything, but in the end he took home "only" the time trial. His honesty and lack of diplomacy is often appreciated – especially by those in our line of work – but it's clear that when things go badly, it all comes back to haunt him.

«I climbed the same way as two years ago, when I finished 2nd and won the overall, but this time I'm down 52 seconds» – Evenepoel told Belgian colleagues. I pushed to the maximum with the goal of limiting the damage as much as possible. The gap to Del Toro is significant, but in reality it didn't go that badly. I went better than Wednesday, I didn't blow up, and the sensations and my values were better. But overall it certainly wasn't a good week».

The uncertainties ahead of Catalonia are growing, given that there too he will find two tough uphill finishes at Vallter 2000 and La Molina, and rivals like Vingegaard and Almeida. Now he faces a period at altitude, where he hopes to regain freshness.

«I didn't have the same sensations I had at the Valenciana. Probably it took something out of my legs. Just like the time trial here. Now it's time to recover. In Catalonia I hope to return to a different level – I usually feel good when I come back from altitude. It's an important objective, because I'll find the team that will then go to the Tour de France».