"I don’t think there will be two camps" - Wout Van Aert dismisses Belgian team split with Remco Evenepoel
Cycling
The 2026 World Championships looked to be a race between Tadej Pogacar and whomever would be able to challenge the reigning champion, but with his withdrawal from the race due to injury the race has gained an entire new dynamic. In the Belgian camp there are two leaders in Remco Evenepoel and Wout Van Aert, and the latter has dismissed potential tensions between two different camps in the national team.
It has been announced on Monday that the team will consist of Tiesj Benoot, Maxim van Gils, Thibau Nys, Quinten Hermans, Gianni Vermeersch and Alec Segaert. Evenepoel has been training at altitude with Hermans recently; whilst Van Aert is building momentum at the Vuelta a España. They will not meet, in racing, until the 27th of September when the riders tackle the race for the rainbow jersey.
Tim Wellens is a notable absence, having recently won the Tour of Britain, but having refused a shot at the World Championships due to responsibilities at UAE Team Emirates - XRG.
“The national coach has put together a very strong team," Wout Van Aert said in words to Sporza at the Vuelta, already with an eye at the Worlds. "Serge [Pauwels] has already thought carefully about the composition of the squad and the roles everyone will have. I have complete confidence in all the guys who are going".
Wout Van Aert has shown great form by winning two stages on week two of the Vuelta a España
Complete confidence in the Belgian team
Alongside the likes of Paul Seixas, Isaac del Toro and Mathieu van der Poel; Van Aert and Evenepoel will be amongst the main favourites to win the World title - although both require different race situations in order to do so.
The race will feature 273 kilometers in distance, featuring a flat opening third and then a circuit featuring the climb to Mont-Royal, which will be tackled a dozen times.
No thoughts of separate camps in Belgium
But there will be clear tactics decided beforehand, in a race that is often marked by the lack of race radios - unlike most events in the calendar. “I don’t think there will be two camps. That shouldn’t happen in a Belgian team. I haven’t even thought about it," the Team Visma | Lease a Bike added.
“The riders already have an idea about the division of roles, but you race in the Belgian jersey. I expect just as much support from Maxim and Gianni as from the others.”
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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