Patrick Lefebvre suggested that Remco Evenpoel could be a target for the 2021 Vuelta a España, but the Quick Step team boss added that the young rider's exact role in the race has yet to be determined.

Evenepoel made his Grand Tour debut at the 2021 Giro d'Italia, and despite abandoning in the final week, the 21-year-old enjoyed a promising first two weeks of racing. A seventh-place finish in the opening time trial in Turin put him in position for a top-10 finish, but the race began to crumble in the final days. The route for the 2022 Vuelta a España was announced on Thursday, with a team time trial on the first day in Utrecht on August 19 and an individual time trial on stage 10 of the three-week race. Lefebvre also confirmed to Sporza that Evenpoel will not be competing in next year's Tour de France and that he will give his final views on his goals and ambitions for next season at the team's January training camp.

Lefebvre also announced that Evenpoel will make his 2022 racing debut at the Verta a Saint Jean Internacional in January.

"This course should suit Lemko. We have seen in the Giro that he has the talent to run a Grand Tour, despite his lack of preparation. If he starts in Spain with normal preparation, I think he has a chance on some stages," Lefevere told Sporza.

"I don't want to give him a preferred role yet. It remains to be seen how he will react to three weeks of stage racing; three finishes over 2,000 meters is also relatively new for him."

"We'll take the plunge in January. Let's look at the first half of the season first. Lemko will probably start the year in Argentina (Vuelta a San Juan, editor's note). He has good memories there and will get the time he needs to prepare."