Imagine a cycling race where a young underdog steals the spotlight, only to have the conversation shift to a heated debate about team strategy. That’s exactly what happened during Stage 3 of the Volta a la Comunitat Valenciana, where American teenager Andrew August pulled off a stunning victory from a late breakaway, leaving the favorites in his wake. But here’s where it gets controversial: while August’s win was the talk of the peloton, former pro cyclist Chris Horner had his sights set on something else entirely—the questionable race management of Remco Evenepoel’s Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe team. And this is the part most people miss: Horner didn’t just critique their tactics; he called them downright “catastrophic.”
In his podcast, Horner didn’t hold back, dissecting the German team’s approach with the precision of a seasoned analyst. While he still considers Evenepoel a “first-page rider”—a title reserved for cycling’s elite, as evidenced by his dominant solo win on the queen stage—Horner argued that the team’s strategy leading up to that victory was riddled with unnecessary risks and wasted energy. But here’s the kicker: Horner believes this isn’t just a one-off mistake but a pattern of poor decision-making that could cost them against stronger rivals like UAE Team Emirates.
Before diving into the controversy, Horner took a moment to applaud August’s performance. The INEOS rider executed a flawless final kilometer, outpacing both sprinters and GC favorites. “He’s going to put on a show today,” Horner predicted, acknowledging that August’s tactical positioning might frustrate some fans. “But he’s got every reason to sit back—he’s got a sprinter like Ben Turner to rely on.”
Now, let’s talk about the elephant in the room: Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe’s aggressive tactics on what should have been a straightforward transition stage. With the queen stage looming the next day, Horner expected the team to play it safe, conserving energy for the bigger battle ahead. Instead, they went on the attack, leaving Horner baffled. “The catastrophic tactics keep continuing,” he remarked, referencing earlier missteps. “Too often, directors push their riders to ‘do something’ every day, even when it’s not necessary.”
The most head-scratching moment? When Aleksandr Vlasov launched an attack from the peloton, followed shortly by Evenepoel himself. “This is a knucklehead move,” Horner declared. “Why attack when your teammates are already exhausted? You’re left with barely any support.” He added, “Remco doesn’t need to waste energy here. He could’ve let the sprinter teams take the lead, but instead, they’re burning through their resources.”
Despite his sharp criticism of the team’s strategy, Horner made it clear that his respect for Evenepoel remains unwavering. He ranks the Belgian phenom among the top four GC riders in the world, alongside Jonas Vingegaard, Tadej Pogacar, and Primoz Roglic. “You can debate the last two spots if you want,” Horner challenged, “but Evenepoel is a wunderkind—no question about it.”
But here’s where it gets even more intriguing: Horner traced the team’s tactical shortcomings back to their leadership. He pointed out that Sports Director Klaas Lodewyck, formerly of Soudal Quick-Step, seems to be repeating the same aggressive strategies that didn’t always pay off in the past. “Patrick Lefevere didn’t exactly instill the best decision-making skills in his directors,” Horner noted. “Now, those same tactics are showing up at Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe.”
While Evenepoel’s individual brilliance secured him a stage 4 victory and likely the general classification, Horner warned that this high-risk approach could backfire against stronger, more disciplined teams. “Remco, this wasn’t your stage to attack,” he concluded. “Someone in that team bus made a critical error.”
So, here’s the question for you: Is Horner’s criticism of Red Bull-Bora-hansgrohe’s tactics fair, or is he overlooking the value of aggression in modern cycling? Let us know in the comments—this debate is far from over.
