Broken rib and illness - Remco Evenepoel explains what went wrong at Tour de France and why he withdrew

Remco Evenepoel had the Tour de France as his main goal of the year but it turned to shreds once the race entered the Pyrenees. The Belgian released a message regarding the process of preparing and withdrawing from the Tour, explaining the reasons why in detail.

"What should have been the highlight of my season turned into a disappointment. The Tour de France was my main goal. After my crash in December, I did everything with one clear objective: to be ready in time for July. The goal gave me focus, but it also created a lot of time pressure," he said in an Instagram post. "The winter months, normally the period where you build a solid foundation for the season, were taken over by rehabilitation and recovery. I had no choice but to be patient: I had to recover."

In early December he collided with a postal van and this removed two months from his training program - one of them fully off the bike. "When I was finally able to train again, everything suddenly happened very quickly. It was a constant rush: rushing to get back in time for the Classics in April, rushing to get to altitude in time, rushing to be ready for the Tour. I always felt like I was playing catch-up. During training, I never felt quite myself: the usual thrills weren't there. But I kept believing. I didn't want to give up on the dream."

He went through his scheduled plan ahead of the Tour de France, going on an altitude camp in May and showing good legs at the Criterium du Dauphiné, but had trouble recovering afterward and had to leave earlier due to the mandatory presence at the Belgian national championships. "We thought the rest during rehabilitation had given me sufficient recovery. But in reality, my body had never really had a break. It was still working hard to recover from the fractures and the trauma of the crash. In retrospect, I wasn't overtrained, but I was clearly exhausted. I started the Tour de France with a low battery".

And at the nationals another problem emerged. "Just before the Tour, there was another crash. During the national championships, I broke another rib," he reveals. "Not the worst, but certainly not ideal. So I started the toughest race in the world with a broken rib and a tired body. Not an ideal combination. But I didn't want to let go of my goal, which I had fought so hard for".

"Despite everything, I gave it my all. I managed to win a stage, wore the white jersey for several days, and was high in the general classification. The first week went well, all things considered. But in the second week, the efforts started to take their toll. I held on, but deep down I knew I wasn't at my best. Until my body finally said 'enough.'"

"After twelve days, I cracked [on the Hautacam stage]. Everything I had been carrying all that time caught up with me. But still, I didn't want to give up. I fought as hard as I could. For you, my fans, I really wanted to give the very last bit I had left. But two days later, I felt completely empty. That's when I made the right decision to get off the bike. And on top of that, the first signs of an infection were just starting to appear. What started as a vague discomfort turned into a severe sinus infection in the days that followed. It hit hard," he shares.

He details how he felt on stage 14 after abandoning the race, having still talked to the media afterwards on the team bus. "That day became one of the rawest and most vulnerable moments of my career. I broke down—and strangely enough, I'm proud of that. It takes strength to show that things don't always go your way. That, even when you really want something, your body sometimes has other plans. That moment, however difficult, showed that I am human—with highs and lows."

Still, the double Olympic champion is able to find a positive in the situation. "But it was the right one. For the first time, I really listened to my body. And I hope that moment sends a message, especially to young riders watching: it's okay to quit, it's okay to feel tired, it's okay to be human. Sometimes taking a step back is the strongest thing you can do. Now I'm taking the time to rest and recover. Thank you all for your support. It means more than you know," he concluded.