“I want to be the greatest sportsman Belgium has ever known”: Remco Evenepoel has no shortage of ambition

Remco Evenepoel is not short of motivation as he looks ahead to the next phase of his career. Speaking after being crowned Belgian Sportsman of the Year for a fifth time, the Olympic champion made his long-term ambition crystal clear.

“I want to try to be the greatest sportsman Belgium has ever known,” Evenepoel said, in comments reported by Sporza.

The honour moves him to within one award of record holder Eddy Merckx, who won the prize six times in succession between 1969 and 1974. For Evenepoel, that history is not a burden but a target.

“I’m not far off that anymore and I still have a few years ahead of me,” he said. “It’s a nice goal to catch and surpass it. It would be nice and an honour to be ahead of such a great name.”

Evenepoel’s latest Sportsman of the Year award comes at the end of a season he openly described as uneven. After being forced to spend the early months of 2025 on the sidelines, he gradually rebuilt momentum as the year progressed.

“It was a year with highs and lows,” Evenepoel said. “A nice beginning, a difficult middle part and a strong finish.”

While his Tour de France ended prematurely, the closing months of the season delivered significant rewards, including major time trial successes on the world and European stage.

“I am very satisfied with how I was able to end the season,” he added. “That gives a lot of motivation and morale to get through the winter well.”

That winter is being spent in new colours following his move to Red Bull - BORA - hansgrohe. Evenepoel is currently at a training camp in Spain, although he briefly returned to Belgium to attend the Sports Gala and collect the award.

“In my view, it’s one of the most beautiful awards you can receive as a sportsman from your own country,” he said. “For that, I’m happy to make the effort to be here.”

Early impressions of his new environment have been positive. “It’s nice,” Evenepoel said. “Both at the table and on the bike, the atmosphere is very good. Nice teammates and staff members as well. I have a good feeling about it.”

With confidence high and long term ambition firmly stated, Evenepoel is entering the next phase of his career with no intention of thinking small.