"He's got so much in the tank that it's hard to fight against him" - Jose de Cauwer reacts to Remco Evenepoel's Belgian National Championship victory

For the first time in his career, Remco Evenepoel has been crowned the Belgian national road race champion. Belgian cycling analyst, Jose de Cauwer was incredibly impressed by both Evenepoel's win and the race as a whole.

Speaking post-race to Karl Vannieuwkerke for Sporza, the pair discussed all things Belgian National Championships. "Remco Evenepoel ticks off lists. World Cup, BK and a Grand Tour: only Eddy Merckx and Freddy Maertens have done it. He also does it on a course with a billiard-flat final, but there is no longer a course that does not suit Evenepoel," declares Vannieuwkerke. "If he's really good, he's got so much in the tank that it's hard to fight against him," de Cauwer agrees.

Evenepoel edged out Alec Segaert in the final battle for the line. Meanwhile, his expected big rival for the win, Wout van Aert came home a disappointing 47th. "Someone else should have done that work on the slopes and then Van Aert should have come second," de Cauwer muses. "I saw in his interview that he would have liked to become Belgian champion. It was certainly not extensive training."

"You have a generation that can do a little more than the average. It's been years since we've seen a championship with so many good riders who raced," he continues before referencing Evenepoel's absence from the Tour de France. "We have to support his decision. Hopefully he will still ride the Vuelta and we will get a rematch against Primoz Roglic and Geraint Thomas."