“He likes to act tougher than he really is”: Oumi Rayane reveals Remco Evenepoel’s hidden heartbreak before European title triumph

Remco Evenepoel's European Championship victory brought an enormous sense of relief at the end of a difficult week, and nobody appeared happier to see him cross the finish line than his wife, Oumi Rayane. After the Belgian edged Giulio Ciccone in a photo finish in Slovenia, the two immediately embraced, marking an emotional end to a period that had affected Evenepoel more deeply than his public comments had suggested.

A week earlier, Evenepoel had finished only 12th in the World Championships road race in Montréal, a result that was particularly difficult given the expectations surrounding him. With Tadej Pogacar absent from the race, Evenepoel had been one of the leading favorites for the rainbow jersey, but he was unable to play a role in the decisive phase of the race.

His immediate reaction had been characteristically blunt. “It is a shame. But there are no excuses. I was not good enough,” Evenepoel said after the Worlds. Behind that matter-of-fact assessment, however, was considerably more frustration than he initially allowed the public to see.

Rayane offered a glimpse into that side of the story after his European victory. Speaking to VTM, she said Evenepoel had felt responsible not only to himself but also to the people who had supported him in Montréal.

“He likes to act tougher than he really is, but he felt very guilty toward his teammates, the federation and the Belgian fans,” Rayane said.

After the European race, Evenepoel admitted that he hadn't stopped thinking about the World Championships over the last few days.

“It was a difficult week for me after the disappointment at the World Championships,” Evenepoel said. “It was more in my head than I showed.”

Rayane had seen the consequences at close range. “Remco is actually someone with a soft heart,” she said. “He was really very sad, so I am really happy for him. Otherwise, he would have been even sadder and I would have had to comfort him again.”

The timing of the victory also made the result historically significant. By beating Ciccone by just 0.0028 seconds, Evenepoel became the first rider to win both the road race and time trial titles at the Olympic Games, World Championships and European Championships. He had already won the European time trial title, while his international palmarès also includes Olympic road and time trial gold medals and World Championship victories in both disciplines.

The European road title was therefore the final piece of an extraordinary championship collection. At 26, Evenepoel has now completed a set of major international titles that no other cyclist has previously assembled across both road disciplines.

His win at the European Championships capped a strong first season with Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe. He had won the Tour de France's individual time trial and finished second overall in the race, while also winning Volta Comunitat Valenciana, Amstel Gold Race, Clasica San Sebastian, Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and Worlds time trial earlier in the season.