Excited Eddy Merckx calls Remco Evenpoel's Olympic time trial gold "an unforgettable day for Belgian sport"
Cycling
The wait has been long, but Begium can finally celebrate an Olympic time trial champion. With Remco Evenepoel, the traditional cycling country stepped up from its shadow to finally take gold medal against the clock. To add more reasons to celebrate, compatriot Wout van Aert came third, losing only to Evenepoel and Italian Filippo Ganna. The Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx was over the moon to see a Belgian win Olympic time trial in his lifetime.
"Great, fantastic! Unforgettable for Belgian sport, and cycling in particular," proclaimed Merckx at RTBF. The Belgian legend admitted to having had a few scares while following the race: "Yes, of course, there was tension, because you're always afraid that one or the other will fall. And everything went well, fortunately."
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Did he expect both Belgian riders to secure spots on the podium? "Evenepoel, surely: after the Tour de France that he did I think he was the big favourite. But I think Van Aert prepared well too, and really it's great for him, it's almost a second career that's starting."
Does the 79-year-old Belgian still enjoy watching the Olympics like in his youth? "Absolutely, it still takes hold of me. It's great for Belgian sport," Merckx concluded with a prediction for the rest of the Games: "How many Belgian medals? I hope as many as possible... If there are ten, twelve, it will really be a successful Games."
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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