“I am not sick”: Remco Evenepoel puts Montréal collapse behind him to target European crown in Ljubljana
Cycling
Remco Evenepoel has little interest in dissecting his disappointing World Championships road race as he prepares for another chance at a major championship title in Ljubljana. The Belgian arrived in Slovenia with one clear objective: complete his collection of championship jerseys by winning the European road race.
Evenepoel endured an unusually difficult day in Montreal last weekend, but after returning to Belgium for three days of training, he has already shifted his attention to Sunday's race. With Tadej Pogacar again absent from the start list, Evenepoel will once more line up among the leading contenders.
“That is certainly a major motivation for me,” Evenepoel said. “The urge to do it is definitely there. That was actually already the case last year, but it didn't work out then.”
Evenepoel rejects illness explanation after Montreal
Evenepoel spent the days after the Worlds in Belgium completing several training sessions before traveling to Slovenia a day later than originally planned. He said the adjustment initially felt difficult on Tuesday, but by the following day he was back into his normal rhythm.
“Hopefully, that is enough for Sunday. I clearly didn't have a good day at the World Championships, so I wasn't able to learn much from that,” he said.
His comments also put an end to renewed speculation surrounding a rumored illness in the Belgian camp. Suggestions that a virus had affected the team had circulated after the race, but both the team and Belgian federation repeatedly denied the claims.
Evenepoel was equally direct when asked about the subject. “No, no... Don't start, okay?” he said with a smile. Later, during his press conference, he removed any remaining ambiguity. “I am not sick,” Evenepoel stated.
He also has no definitive explanation for why his performance in Montreal fell so far below expectations. “Everything had gone well leading up to that road race, but ultimately it was just a bad day in terms of how it felt.”
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A tactical race with Ciccone among the main threats
The European Championships course could produce a very different race from the lon and selective World Championships in Montreal. Evenepoel expects the early stages of the race to be important. “I hope we can make a selection quickly, so the group gets a bit smaller. The course also invites racing early,” he said.
That does not necessarily mean Evenepoel intends to attack from distance. The main climb tops out more than 10 kilometers from the finish, leaving plenty of room for different tactical scenarios. “It is quite a tactical lap. It doesn't necessarily have to happen on the climb. That could lead to a tricky situation, so it will be important to prepare well tactically.”
Evenepoel already has several riders in mind who could complicate Belgium's plans. Giulio Ciccone is particularly high on his list after the Italian's strong recent form. “He is in really good form and will certainly be competing for the win,” Evenepoel said.
Mads Pedersen and the French team are also among the riders he expects to feature, while Primoz Roglic represents another major threat. “He was good in Montreal and will likely be motivated for his home crowd.”
Félix SernaCycling Journalist
Félix Serna is a writer at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2025. He covers professional cycling across both the men’s and women’s calendars, with a focus on UCI rankings, race developments, and rider performance. His work includes interview-based reports, liveblogs, and tournament coverage designed to provide clear, accurate context throughout the season.
In his reporting, Félix regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical reference. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. He holds a bachelor’s degree in International Studies.
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