Remco Evenepoel has become at the age of 22 what many Belgian cycling fans have seen in him for years. The driver won the world title on the road in Wollongong, Australia on Sunday. “I win a ‘monument’, a grand tour and the world title in one year,” he said, also referring to his victories in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and the Vuelta a España. “This was a dream, it couldn’t be better.”
Evenepoel was unstoppable in a race that he himself broke open 60 kilometers before the finish. About 35 kilometers further on, he didn’t tolerate anyone next to him. He captured the rainbow jersey by more than 2 minutes ahead of the number 2, Frenchman Christophe Laporte. “After such a long season, it is unbelievable to finish like this. I was lucky to have my legs today. I quickly felt that I was better than my fellow refugees. That is why I continued alone. Once on top of Mount Pleasant in the last lap I knew it was going to be good.”
He praised the strength and unity of the Belgian team, where Wout van Aert among the other favorites did not insist when Evenepoel was away. “We really drove as a team. We also said beforehand: how does not matter, as long as we deliver the champion. It was Wout or me.”
To enjoy
Evenepoel already became world champion in the juniors in 2018 with a rare force majeure. The comparison with legend Eddy Merckx quickly followed in Belgium, a heavy burden from which the young rider from Schepdaal with a past as a football player did not seem to suffer. He made a stormy entrance to the pros, winning the Clásica San Sebastián in his first year. In Alkmaar he also became European time trial champion. The first major setback followed in the corona year 2020, with a heavy fall in the Tour of Lombardy. It took a year before he was back on level, to break through with fifteen victories this year.
“I don’t know if I’ll ever have a season like this again, so I want to enjoy it,” said Evenepoel. And with a smile: “It’s just a shame that the next World Cup is already in August. So it will be one of the shortest years as world champion.”