"I feel sick from the effort" - Remco Evenepoel makes history as he soars to superb Olympic Games victory

It is absolutely incredible what Remco Evenepoel, at age 24, has already achieved as a professional rider. He has won every single big time-trial event in the sport, something he completed last week at the Olympic Games' time-trial, but still he looked even stronger this afternoon as he soared to a solo victory in Paris to win the road race for Belgium.

A second gold medal, Evenepoel is the first rider in the history of cycling to win both on the same year. “I feel sick from the effort. It was a very tough day. To win this and to be the first man to take the double is historic," Evenepoel told Eurosport. It was a win built on tactics that the Belgians knew could work. Although the start was not ideal, the team had to use Tiesj Benoot to chase the day's breakaway, effectively losing a card for the finale.

Entering the final circuit Belgium had no-one in the front groups and were a minute back. Mathieu van der Poel attacked with Wout van Aert in the wheel and Evenepoel could not match. But a few kilometers later the groups came back together and he right away made is move. "From that moment on, it was just full throttle until the finish," he explained. 

The Belgian caught the chasing group and then did most of the work to catch the front of the race, distance the peloton and simultaneously drop all other riders - including very strong and in-form classics specialists. Valentin Madouas was the last one to hold the pace and still rode to a silver medal. It was absolutely incredible how Evenepoel, despite receiving little to no cooperation, just dropped his rivals with pace in the circuit that did not feature any steep ascent.

But he didn't do so without going to the limimt himself. “You are never completely sure. I did feel that his legs were running out of air and the place where I could let him go really suited me." He was at the limit, but so was everyone else. The Belgian crossed the finish line in front of the Eiffel Tower with 1:20 minutes over his closest rival, despite a puncture with just 4 kilometers to go that saw him briefly despair.

“That flat tire with just over four kilometers to go was extremely stressful. I suddenly felt that I had a flat tire and I had to change it as soon as possible. In the car they were not ready for that right away. Luckily I had enough time and everything turned out fine. What a day!”