Belgium using water bottle notes to get key messages to Evenepoel and van Aert? - "We might need to agree on a code language"
Cycling
Belgium are working on an innovative way of ensuring their team is up to speed in the heat of the World Championships battle on Sunday, devising a strategy of using water bottles to pass key messages to riders on notes.
A rarely-seen strategy, the drastic need for passing messages to riders is a unique problem faced by national teams at major championships. Although riders race with radio and earpieces during races with their trade teams, their use is not allowed at the World Championships.
The rule makes for an unusual problem and race dynamic for many riders, not receiving live feedback from their team managers and sports directors behind them. With no information on breakaways or attacking moves during the race, added attention goes to monitoring race sace situations on the road.
Belgium tested out a plan to combat the lack of communication between riders and staff by testing out a system where notes are attached to bidons, with the strategy seemingly working well during the under-23 road race on Friday.
Wout van Aert ahead of the 2026 World Championships in Montreal
Pauwels on bidon notes
“We tested that with the U23s on Friday,” national team coach Serge Pauwels told Sporza.
“We work with boards like every year, but we also devised a different system with the water bottles. It’s not rocket science , you know. But almost every lap, almost every rider takes a bottle. And it worked well with the U23s.”
For Wout van Aert, the system is something he has seen before but never actually used. He pointed to the need for a code language to stop tactical information being salvaged by other teams as he reiterated his calls for race radio to be allowed at World Championships.
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Van Aert and Evenepoel on bottle notes
“Although I have never raced like this before. It will be new for me. I will be happy if it keeps me just a little more informed about the race conditions. I am not a fan of racing without earpieces. I have said that often.”
“I hadn’t thought about it yet, but then we might need to agree on a code language."
Meanwhile, Evenepoel likes the idea but sees challenges in making sure the right messages are handed out at the right time in Canada.
“If you miss a water bottle and there is an important message on it, then you haven't seen it. It still needs fine-tuning and maybe something needs to be shouted out as well. But it is certainly a pretty good idea.”
Gavin QuinnCycling Journalist
Gavin Quinn is a cycling journalist and ultra-distance cyclist with a BA in Journalism from Dublin City University. Formerly the Press & Communications Officer for Cycling Ireland, Gavin has worked inside the national team at the World Championships and has reported for the Irish Mirror, Mirror UK, and The42.
His expertise is backed by elite-level access, having interviewed stars like Sam Bennett and Ben Healy, as well as immense personal endurance. In 2025, he completed a 12,000km solo cycle from Ireland to Vietnam, following a 4,600km tour across Europe. From the cobbles of Paris-Roubaix to the gradients of the Tourmalet, Gavin’s writing focuses on the "romance and brutality" of the sport. Having visited 50+ countries, he brings a global, cultural perspective to his coverage of the pro peloton for CyclingUpToDate.
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