Remco Evenepoel looks back on his 2026 season with mixed feelings. From a brilliant Tour de France podium and two stage wins, to a nearly-moment at the Tour of Flanders, the Belgian wonders what could have been had he found the right shape at some of his biggest goals this season.

The Red bull - BORA Hansgrohe leader undoubtedly found his best legs at the Tour, taking a first racing stage victory at the Grand Tour, as well as a time trial vwin, on the way to a second place finish - the best of his career.

Arriving at the Tour after over two months of meticulous preparation, the 26-year-old believes he's found the right formula when it comes to putting his best foot forward. Elsewhere, he'll look back on disappointing moments as a chance to improve in 2027.

Confirming that he and his coaches and team will assess the final block of the season that included World Championships and Il Lombardia disappointments, there's one race that pulls at his heart strings when he looks behind - the Tour of Flanders.

In his debut at the monument, Evenepoel couldn't follow Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel's winning move, but came incredibly close to catching the duo throughout the final hour of the race - using flat and rolling terrain between the cobbled climbs to almost reel in the pair before ultimately settling for third place on the podium.

Remco Evenepoel reflects on 2026 season

“It was long, but overall a good one. There were some ups and downs, but fortunately the ups outweighed the downs, Evenepoel said in an interview with HLN.

"The World Championship road race and the Tour of Lombardy weren't great—we'll definitely be discussing that internally soon. But the biggest pain in my legs—and also in my heart—came when, in the final stretch of the Tour of Flanders, I couldn’t close that last five-second gap on Tadej Pogačar and Mathieu van der Poel. And my worst feeling came from the UAE Tour. I really wasn’t good there."

How does he hope to avoid disappointments in 2027? Taking one key observation from this season. While he doesn't need to hit the ground running early next season after already enjoying a successful debut with the team, thorough preparation and a specific focus can lead the way.

Change in preparation for 2027

He implied that he'll race a more targeted schedule in 2027, opting to combine less races in quick succession in his efforts to go all-in on specific races next season.

“One thing is certain: I won’t be entering competition as early as I did this year. As a newcomer to the team, that was to be expected. I wanted to prove myself, integrate into the team as well as possible, and win as quickly as possible. Next year will be different.

“What we’ve also realised and learned is that I need very thorough preparation periods for my major goals. So we’re going to plan those even more specifically. And we’ll avoid rushing from race to race, as happened a few times in 2026.”

Red Bull officially kick off their pre-season on December 11th in Mallorca as they announce their goals, where Evenepoel is expected to also confirm his schedule.