Remco Evenepoel (Sodual-Quick Step) is having problems with his time trial position, but will be ready for the Tour de France, according to team boss Patrick Lefebvre.

Evenepoel broke his collarbone and scapula in a crash at Ituria-Basque in April.

After undergoing surgery and returning to the road last month, Evenpoel's debut at the Criterium du Dauphiné will likely be his last race before the Tour de France.

The Belgian is currently in the high Sierra Nevada with some of the group that will join him for his Tour debut. Lefebvre confirmed that Evenpoel's recovery is going well and that he should see full fitness at the Grande Pearl in Florence.

"I didn't really doubt it, but Lemko Evenpoel will be ready for the Tour," Lefebvre said in his Het Newsblad column.

"He broke his collarbone and scapula in a crash at the Tour of the Basque Country. The latter is now causing stiffness in my time trial position, but that's only a matter of days."

"There is a 34km individual time trial at the Dauphiné on June 5. There is no reason to believe that Lemko will not reach his best level there."

"The time trial will be a very important event for Lemko.

With 22 days until the Dauphiné starts in Saint-Ploussin-sur-Sur, Evenpoel will have to reach his peak and try to find his best time trial position again.

While rival Tadej Pogachar is dominating the Giro d'Italia, two-time defending champion Jonas Vingegaard is also on his way to full fitness after breaking his collarbone and ribs and crushing his lung in the same crash as Evenpoel.

However, Vingegaard also returned to riding outdoors on May 7. With Vingegaard, Evenpole, and Primoš Roglic (Bora-Hansgrohe) also nearing full fitness, the four-man Tour de France contender race is likely to be revived.

The group with Evenpoel in southern Spain includes newcomer Mikel Landa, who will be an important Belgian superdomestique in the mountains in 2024. Landa is one of the key mountain superdomestics for Belgium.

"Apart from the leader Evenpoel, no one has been confirmed for selection at this time. It's the same way it's been done for the last few years: a long list of 12 riders, all of whom have to assume they will be there," said the experienced team boss.

However, he added, "It's no secret that the riders currently in Lemco are likely to compete in the Tour later on.

Among the Belgian riders in the high country with them are Landa, Ilan Van Wilder, Gianni Moscon, Casper Pedersen, and Yves Lampère.

According to Lefebvre, Louis Verweke would have been in Spain with the team, but was at home in Belgium for the birth of his second child.

Along with Verveke, Mattia Cattaneo has been strong with Evenpoel in his few Grand Tour appearances, but he will not start in Florence because of his battle with illness.

"Mattia Cattaneo should also be a regular on the Tour team, but he has been having problems for several months," Lefebvre said. 'First he had a COVID-19 infection and now he has a thyroid problem. Unfortunately, unfortunately, he won't even be in the Tour."