Remco Evenepoel has played down any sense of urgency for him to target the Tour de France, but has left the door open to a possible debut in 2023.
The 22-year-old Belgian won the Vuelta a España in September, marking his arrival as one of this generation's Grand Tour forces, even before his Road World Championships victory added to his stardom.
Evenepoel made his Grand Tour debut at the 2021 Giro d'Italia but was only just returning to competition following a long comeback from a pelvis fracture, and he failed to finish the race.
After returning to full strength later that year, Evenepoel has had a remarkable 2022, winning Liège-Bastogne-Liège as well as the Vuelta and Worlds. .
QuickStep-AlphaVinyl boss Patrick Lefevere has suggested that Evenepoel should return to try and win the Giro in 2023, before making his Tour de France debut in 2024. Speaking ahead of his first race in the rainbow jersey and last of the season, at Binche-Chimay-Binche, Evenepoel struck a similar note.
"After the Vuelta, there were a lot of comments, opinions, about going to the Tour de France as quickly as possible," Evenepoel said.
"But with team we have a plan. Like this year, we never changed the plan, so it will be the same for the Tour and the next Grand Tours."
However, Evenepoel then revealed that the decision is not yet final and will be influenced by the routes for the Giro and Tour, both of which will be revealed later this month.
The Giro is expected to include three time trials, which the organisers would hope would attract Evenepoel. It remains to be seen how the Tour route is balanced, but it starts in the Basque Country, where Evenepoel has enjoyed considerable success in his incipient career.
"We'll look at the parcours, the time trial kilometres and all the other aspects. From that moment we can decide which Grand Tour we do," he said.
"We've always stayed calm, because it's useless to go faster than the plan or what have in mind. I'm only 22, I'll be 23 in January, so I still have lots of years ahead of me."
"The Vuelta is already a good first step towards the big dream, but dreams can take many years to come true. So we'll take it step by step."
The route for the 2023 Giro will be unveiled on October 17 and the Tour 10 days later.
