MUR-DE--BRETAGNE, France -- Mattia Cattaneo, a key teammate of Tour de France contender Remco Evenepoel, has withdrawn from the race.

The latest chapter of the long-running saga regarding Remco Evenepoel 's possible signing with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe for 2026 has seen the CEO of his current team, Soudal-QuickStep flatly deny rumours of a possible buyout of his contract - only for fresh and considerably strengthened claims of the opposite to emerge a few hours later.

Evenepoel, who has fully recovered from multiple injuries sustained in a big crash last year, was 16 seconds faster than Pogačar. Edoardo Affini, the time trial European champion, was third, 33 ...

"I wouldn’t say my performance was disappointing, but I would have liked to have fresher legs in the final kilometer - I wish the race had finished under the fl

Evenepoel's former Soudal-QuickStep teammate Gianni Moscon has already moved to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe and Matteo Cattaneo and several key staff and coaches are expected to move with Evenepoel to Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe for 2026. Vanthourenhout is the latest part of the puzzle, even if his arrival is not dependent on Evenepoel's eventual signing.