Remco Evenepoel Ramps Up Massive Worlds Prep With Rainbow Jersey Suddenly Up for Grabs

Remco Evenepoel is back, at least on Instagram.

After disappearing into the Italian Alps for a monastic block of altitude training, Evenepoel resurfaced with a look at how one of cycling’s biggest stars prepares for the Montréal world championships.

There was no comment about Tadej Pogačar, whose participation in Montréal remains uncertain following his devastating crash at the Vuelta a España.

Instead, Evenepoel offered a day-in-the-life glimpse of hamburgers, monster training rides, and, believe it or not, a late-night facial.

It’s Evenepoel’s first public update since he won a record fourth victory at the Clásica San Sebastián in early August.

Since then, the Belgian has been hidden away in Livigno, training at altitude in the Italian Alps just as questions remain on whether two-time defending champion Pogačar will be able to race in Montréal in less than a month.

Pogačar returned home Wednesday after undergoing surgery on his fractured collarbone following his high-speed horror crash at the Vuelta.

The Slovenian also sustained fractures to his neck and a concussion, although neither the Slovenian federation nor UAE Team Emirates-XRG has officially ruled him out of Montréal.

Evenepoel goes deep for worlds prep

Pogačar’s uncertainty could blow the men’s road race wide open.

Evenepoel, the 2022 world champion, would immediately be at the front of the list of rainbow jersey favorites if the Slovenian superstar cannot start.

Evenepoel is hardly taking it easy in Livigno.

Following a similar blueprint to what brought him to the 2026 Tour de France in the best shape of his career, the Belgian aero-rocket is working hard.

He arrived at the Italian altitude hub nearly three weeks ago and shared a recent training ride on Strava that lifted the hood on his world championships preparation.

On Wednesday, Evenepoel logged 181.8 kilometers and more than 5,300 meters of climbing during nearly six and a half hours in the saddle.

The punishing route included the Mortirolo, Passo Gavia and the climb to Mottolino, stacking up three major climbs into one monster day.

That kind of work paid off in a huge way in the Tour de France, with second overall and two stage wins.

Could it deliver another rainbow jersey?

Inside Evenepoel’s Livigno training camp

It’s not all training and sacrifice, as Evenepoel revealed on Instagram.

Similar to what he did at the Tour, Evenepoel documented what he called an “Altitude camp edition in Livigno,” with partner Oumi Rayane joining him for parts of the day.

His morning began at 7:55 with a check of his sleep data, followed five minutes later by a breakfast featuring bananas, fruit, toast and bread.

At 8:45, he laid out his training kit, followed by a selfie with Oumi at 9:22 before the serious work began.

By 11:56, Evenepoel had reached the summit of the Mortirolo, one of Italy’s most iconic climbs.

At 12:27, he was back on the valley floor collecting a bottle, and at 13:36 he was climbing again on roads that appeared to lead toward the Gavia.

A photograph of a grounded aircraft followed at 16:04. By 16:25, Evenepoel was back at the hotel and enjoying a recovery drink on the terrace.

Lunch arrived late, at 16:40, with fries and what appeared to be a hamburger served with cabbage.

Then came the recovery routine: a massage at 17:00 and a sauna at 18:17, with Evenepoel already looking Tour-thin ahead of his autumn campaign.

It wasn’t all glamour at 19:30 when it was time to shave.

Oumi was dressed and ready to head out by 19:48, with sushi night arriving at 20:15.

The day ended at 22:51 with a facial and a message from Evenepoel: “Don’t skip your skincare, boyzzz.”

Worlds countdown begins

The update comes just days before Evenepoel returns to the serious business of racing.

He will open his late-season campaign at the Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec on September 11 before the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal on September 13.

Those Canadian WorldTour races will tell everyone where his form is ahead the Montréal world championships.

Evenepoel will target the world championship time trial on September 20 and the road race on September 27.

The Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe superstar is then scheduled to race the European championship road race on October 4, Il Lombardia on October 10, and the Chrono des Nations on October 18.

With or without Pogačar at the start line, Evenepoel will be targeting victory in every one of those races.

Right now, he is training, recovering, and apparently taking very good care of his skin.