Patrick Evenepoel recalls Remco's struggles with 'fans' including being verbally assaulted at an airport: "We also received anonymous letters full of curses"

In 2024, respect for Remco Evenepoel among the wider cycling community has seemingly growing. Showing more and more maturity, the Soudal - Quick-Step silenced many doubters with his performances at the 2024 Tour de France, finishing best of the rest behind Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard in 3rd overall.

Whilst, as mentioned, Evenepoel is currently riding a wave of love and support from cycling fans around the world, that's not always been the case. When breaking through into the sport of the cycling after a youth as a promising footballer, Evenepoel was criticised for his immaturity and often outspoken post-stage interviews, speaking without much thought. According to the Belgian's father Patrick Evenepoel, this even crossed over into his son's personal life.

"I never say anything behind someone's back," Patrick Evenepoel says in an interview with Humo, explaining how much of the criticism surrounding his son is misguided. "Remco also means it differently than it comes out. Like after the team time trial in the Vuelta a Espana last year. He says what he thinks straight away."

"Everyone accuses Remco of only thinking about himself," he continues. "The opposite is true: he thinks too much about others. One of his friends in the Anderlecht youth team was Mardochee Nzita, who now plays for Charleroi. He would sometimes sit on the sidelines during training: 'I can't do it anymore, I haven't had any food at home.' That really affected Remco: he would bring food for those boys. The same thing happened at school. He wanted extra cookies and sandwiches. 'I'm always hungry,' he said to my wife Agna. Until we heard that he handed out everything on the playground. Remco has a big heart."

As mentioned though, in the past some of those online criticisms of Evenepoel has crossed over into his personal life in some unsavoury scenes, including a notable airport trip with the Soudal - Quick-Step team, where he was verbally abused by a random woman. "'Here he is, the fat neck,"' Patrick Evenepoel recalls of the incident. "Louis Vervaeke spoke to her about it."

Evenepoel's wife Oumi Rayane has also not been safe from the hate and vitriol. "When they first got together, we often got the reaction: 'Oh, a Moroccan?' And it quickly went much further: 'Let him move to Morocco.' We also received anonymous letters full of curses in letters cut out of the newspaper," Patrick recalls sadly. "Also when they got married and posted a photo in traditional Moroccan clothing, there were negative comments."