Could Remco Evenepoel miss Tour de France? Missing Belgium's national race could see him face nine-day ban and potentially be absent from Grand Tour
By Ben Morse
Updated 25/06/2026 at 16:54 GMT+1
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Remco Evenepoel is one of the biggest names in cycling but media reports from Belgium suggest that the Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe rider could miss the Tour de France - which starts next week - because of a potential suspension.
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Evenepoel is gearing up for the Tour de France, which begins on Saturday, July 4 and is live on TNT Sports and HBO Max.
But before the second Grand Tour of the year is the Belgian National Championships, which is being held on Sunday near Antwerp.
And according to Belgian Cycling Federation regulations, all Belgian riders must participate in the race or face a nine-day ban if absent.
This could impact Evenepoel's involvement in the Tour de France as, according to Het Laatste Nieuws, he will not ride in the Belgian National Championships and instead will rest ahead of a serious push in France.
The 26-year-old has been named in the official start list for the Belgian National Championships but his Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team have yet to announce whether Evenepoel will compete.
According to Wielerflits, the Belgian Cycling Federation could choose not to enforce the ban or it could be implemented later in the year, with this current position seen as posturing in an attempt to force all top competitors to be involved.
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"There are no exceptions. The Belgian Road Championship is mandatory for every professional cyclist, regardless of profile or status," Massimo Van Lancker, the director of sport for the Belgian Cycling Federation, told Wielerflits.
”Every rider has received an email containing all the information. The regulations are stated in that email. It is up to every rider to know and respect those regulations.
"If they are unable to attend, they must take the necessary steps. If you have a doctor's certificate, your absence is legitimate and the sanction is waived.
"If you do not have a certificate or a valid reason, your absence is unlawful and Belgian Cycling will take measures."
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TNT Sports has contacted Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe about whether Evenepoel will race in the Belgian National Championships and for a comment on any potential punishment if he does not.
Many of Evenepoel's competitors - a list which includes Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Paul Seixas and Mathieu van der Poel - have already withdrawn from their own national championships to instead focus on the Tour de France.
It has become commonplace for riders to reference injury or illness to withdraw from the race, only to participate fully in the Tour de France just a few days later.
Van Lancker told Cyclingnews that the current ruling is in place as a way of ensuring the Belgian National Championships retains its importance.
"I am not going to question a doctor’s decision. If it says that a rider is too sick to start or has knee pain, then I don’t ask any questions about that. We simply think it is important that the best riders from Belgium are at the start of this race," Van Lancker said.
"We are making investments to bring the race up to the level of the other top Belgian races. It is also important for the promotion of Belgian cycling that the best riders start.
"That is why we are not going to change that regulation anytime soon. We can now focus on the absentees you mention, but you must not forget that, partly due to the rules, the quality of the starting field remains very high every year."
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