"He himself said he shouldn't have stopped" – Belgian coach opens up on the costly moment that denied Evenepoel gold

Remco Evenepoel was one of the main favourites to win the World Championships road race in Rwanda, especially after his dominant performance in the time trial, where he won gold and even overtook Tadej Pogacar. However, after he stopped twice for a bike change, it was already clear that the Belgian superstar’s chances of claiming the world title were gone.

He still managed to finish in second place, but it was bittersweet because of how the events unfolded. "It's obviously the final result that sticks with me the most. If we had started with silver in the road race and only then taken gold and bronze in the time trial, the feeling might have been different. But we're happy with three medals," Belgian coach Serge Pauwels told Het Laatste Nieuws.

The coach congratulated Pogacar on his second consecutive world title, but he showed frustration by setbacks both before and during the race, arguing Belgium could have had more chances to fight for gold. "The strongest rider won. But in ideal conditions, we might have had a slightly better chance. There was that bad luck: Ilan Van Wilder dropping out, Tiesj Benoot not being there..."

The double bike swap was a major topic of discussion post-race. Evenepoel complained his saddle tilted after hitting a pothole, asking for a change not once but twice. Belgian mechanics said after the race that they did not detect any issue with the second bike, and Evenepoel seemingly admitted he made a mistake asking for a new one.

"I spoke briefly with Remco at breakfast, and he himself said he shouldn't have stopped. But of course, it was a spur-of-the-moment decision, in his own bubble without much information. It's not as easy as watching the race on television."

Pauwels also noted that the Kigali circuit may have favoured the Slovenian winner, more of a pure climber than Evenepoel. "Remco also found the course very difficult, perhaps a little too much. Not that it was the toughest race he's ever ridden, but still. When I look at how the World Championships were run ten years ago, it seems like a different sport. Because of people like Pogacar and Remco, who make the race hard from afar."

After a successful week in Rwanda, where Evenepoel claimed a gold and a silver medal, while Van Wilder also got a bronze, the Belgian team is already looking forward to the European Championships, which will take place this week. "The recovery is short, but the pressure for the time trial isn't that great. Remco is relaxed, but also still hungry. He's already looking forward to the road race," Pauwels concluded.