"Relationship between Wout and Remco will be interesting to follow", Belgian classics legend Tom Boonen anticipates
Cycling
Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert were two emerging talents on the road during similar years, and the talent and versatility on both riders has seen many comparing the two Belgians, with Tom Boonen also analyzing their relation.
“Becoming world champion won't get any easier after this year. Evenepoel has set a serious precedent,” Boonen said in an interview with Het Laatste Nieuws. “Last year you had the debacle in Leuven and the quarrel that followed, but at that time Remco was not really a competitor of Wout. He hadn't been anywhere until this year. There was a clear ranking: Wout was the leader and Remco was still the domestique. But in 2022 everything will have changed.”
The debate revolved around Boonen's opinion on the chemistry between the two, in which he defends Evenepoel will be unlikely to return to a supportive role for van Aert after Wollongong. “Remco will never be under Wout again. That shift is final and also lives at the cycling federation," he argued."
However, he believes that this could be a motivating factor for the Jumbo-Visma rider, who is yet to take a world title on the road despite several attempts and routes that have suited him very well.
"That might sting Wout – it will excite him in any case. The relationship between Wout and Remco will be interesting to follow. As it is now, it will not always be. But it is certain that they will often meet and often need each other," he concluded. Although very different types of riders, both are very fit to perform in the hilly races, in which the World Championships frequently take place and will see the two race together in the future.
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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.
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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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