July is calling and Lemko Evenpoel is ready to answer. The Soudal-QuickStep rider will make his Tour de France debut just ahead of his second Olympic appearance.

Speaking to the media at the team presentation in Calpe, Spain, Evenpoel's confident demeanor and skillful answers to reporters' questions belies his age. At just 23 years old, he is one of the world's top riders, a two-time world champion and winner of Grand Tours and Monuments, but he is as enthusiastic about his Tour de France debut as any neo-pro.

"The Tour de France and the Olympics in the same month are two of the most famous sporting events in the whole world. [It's going to be a very exciting and special month," Evenpole said. It's going to be a very exciting and special month."

While putting everything on the line in one month can be stressful for most athletes, for Evenepoel, having the Tour de France on the calendar gives him a sense of purpose and security.

"It's an exciting thing. It's finally here. I feel it in my training, not 10 minutes less or 10 minutes more, but just perfect in every detail, including the food."

"It's a new energy I haven't felt in a long time. It can only be good, because this year I'm competing in the Tour"

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Last year's Grand Tour did not go as planned for the Belgian. He took the lead in the Giro d'Italia and won the time trial on stage 9, but he was withdrawn on the first rest day after testing positive for COVID-19. He then spent several weeks defending his overall title at the Vuelta a España, where he won the time trial for the unified world championships and lacked Grand Tour preparation, but still took three stage wins.

"My mind is a little different from last summer," he said. 'After I got infected with COVID in the Giro, I went crazy on all fronts. So it was a constant up and down, and it wasn't easy to get back into a rhythm."

Now that the rumors of a possible team transfer and the now-defunct merger with Jumbo Visma have died down, and a stable future with Sourdal-Quickstep is set, Evenpoel is more relaxed.

"It's really changed and my training is a lot smoother. It wasn't the case the last few years, but I don't stress when I can't train some days or have to skip some days. So all those things will help me in the race and I'll be able to save my energy for those hectic moments in the match."

In July, Evenpoel is realistic about public expectations. At the very least, he expects a stage win at the Tour de France and two podiums at the Olympics.

"It's going to be an exciting month. It's going to be an exciting month and an exciting new journey for me.

While focusing on the Tour may mean less opportunity for fans to see Evenpoel's signature long-distance attacks, he promises to be free to race his "crazy ideas."

"In the Paris-Nice and Basque races, for example, I can still race the way I want and come up with crazy ideas. But in a race like the Tour de Suisse, the Dauphiné, or the Tour de France, it's completely different. The Grand Tours are a whole different story."

When asked if he could make the podium at the Tour de France, he replied hesitantly, "Of course. Of course, everything has to go right. My main goal is to win a stage, and hopefully at least one.

Evenpoel was a polarizing figure in many media outlets last season, as well as in racing. Rumors swirled that he was out of contract with Quick-Step, in part because his father, who represents him, doubted that the team could support his challenge for the Tour de France. And in the Vuelta, a possible takeover by Visma made headlines.

Evenpoel admitted that he was too concerned about what the press was writing about him last year, saying, "Maybe that's why I lost a little confidence last season too."

"It's actually kind of crazy that these articles made big headlines. So I was a little surprised to see so many details that weren't true. So it was weird, and also a little bit harsh."

A long vacation after the Chrono de Nations in October helped, he added.

"I think it actually helped to change my head and my approach to everything a little bit," he said, suggesting that the uncertainty surrounding the future of Sudar-Quickstep might be resolved.

In November, Patrick Lefebvre said that the merger with Visma would not be revisited next year and was at the whim of major shareholder Zdenek Bakala, who may decide to sell the team.

"It's hard to feel change in just a few weeks," Evenepoel replied after being asked about the energy within the team.

"Over the months, weeks, years, you'll start to feel more and more of this new energy. That's good for us and good for the team. And it's good for the team to continue to exist because it's a legendary team in cycling and it's essential to the cycling world."

When asked for clarification, his quick and decisive answer wavered. 'We know as much detail as any other team does,' he said. We have to get back to the level of the other teams." But certainly, we're doing a great job in that regard."

"We are looking for a higher level on the team side, on the staff side, on everything, on the personal side. If we want to compete for GC with the UAE, Jumbo (Vimalise a Bike = editor's note), and Ineos in the Grand Tours and in the week-long races, we all need to perform at our best from the first day to the last day. And even in winter. We all need to do our best. Everyone is looking forward to going into the new season."

His meteoric rise from junior to the pinnacle of the sport took only five seasons, but when asked if he can appreciate how extraordinary those years have been, he replied, "I've had to work a lot more. Some athletes have to work for many more years, but they can't even win a race. I think we have to thank nature for giving us such talent."

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