Remco Evenepoel had a storming season until today, but a win at the World Championships has came to culminate an unprecedented season for the Belgian, who stormed to a dominating win in Wollongong with his very best form.
“I can't compare this with my junior world title. This is three hours longer and the course was much tougher. The race was long and it was also a super long season. It's great to close that way. I'm glad I had the legs today," Evenepoel said after the finish. He was one of the favourites for the race today at the start, and although the sprinters survived the Wollongong circuit, Evenepoel won in a way that he is used to with a long-distance solo attack.
Evenepoel responded to a move with around 60 kilometers to go that split the peloton, and found himself in a large group that escaped the clutches of the unorganized peloton. As he usually does, he did not attack in the climb where everyone would be ready, but instead surprised with an attack in a flat section with 33 kilometers to go, together with Alexey Lutsenko. “We were two men ahead and I felt that I was stronger than Lutsenko. But I just wanted to move on," he said.
Soon after he dropped the Kazakh and began his solo journey to the rainbow jersey. "There was no time to waste on this trail. In the final lap I notice that Mount Pleasant was super heavy, I felt my legs really explode there. But I knew it was almost done, because after the descent it was only five kilometers to the finish."
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With the gap expanding to the chasing group, his victory was assured as long as he stayed on the bike. Having had a group without most of the big favourites around him, the gap that was built early on in the attack was uncloseable, and the survivors of the peloton were left to fight for the rest of the medals. “My lead just kept getting bigger. I kept going, because it's the World Championship after all. You don't want to take any chances and just win that jersey," he said.
“We really raced as a team. We already said in advance: it doesn't matter how, but we wanted to win this World Championship as a team. It was Wout van Aert or me. I had to start early, and he would follow and wait for his sprint. And this time the early attack made it. We deserved this," he stated.
After winning the Vuelta a Espana in impressive fashion, the Clasica San Sebastian and Liège-Bastogne-Liège - amongst other wins - 2022 has proved to be a golden year for the Belgian, who has been without a doubt one of the most successful riders of the season. “This is a dream. It is unbelievable," he stated.
"It's a shame that next year's World Cup is already in August, so it will be one of the shortest years as a world champion. But I've dreamed about this for a long time. And now, after a monument, a classic and a Grand Tour, I also win the World Championships. I won't have a season like this very often. We are definitely going to celebrate big. I don't think I'm going to see my bed," he concluded.
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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- Where Merckx just rode every single race he could and won all the time, Hinault won less often (percentage wise) because he was more judicious in what he raced. His palmares are nuts. He had amazing rivals, one to start his career and another to end it in the grand tours. His classics were solid. What sets him apart from Merckx and Pogačar are that he basically dabbled in the classics while the other two love(d) them. I used to compare Pogačar to Hinault for his grand tour record and occasional classics win, until I realized that the comparison was wrong. Pogačar loves the classics - ah, the memory of his reaction to finishing fourth in a 2 person sprint in Flanders in ‘22: utter domination in any one day race since then, even when he doesn’t win. Hinault lived for the grand tours and I don’t think anyone else will ever reach his record. 10 wins in 13 attempts? Good lord. An amazing rider. Wish there was more footage to watch.RidesHills11-11-2026
- I had no idea about that either.
santiagobenites10-11-2026 - great analysis thanks! appreciate you posting this. I didn't realize CX had a different standard for deviation. this is even more egregious it seems.mij10-11-2026
- As he isn't currently with Red Bull, I guess if he want to race for one more year he needs to find a team. He's 37 so this will be his last year I would guess, unless he wants to race for almost nothing like Froome did.awp10-11-2026
- I think some are making much ado about nothing. Even though Jonas is getting older, before his crash in the Tour, he looked like a solid 2nd all the way home. No one can really climb with Tadej until this year, Eric Mas showed himself which I think was a one off year for him and Paul Seixas has been able to be pretty close to him. Whatever stage race Jonas enters as long as Tadej is not there he is a favorite to win.awp10-11-2026
- Giro or not Giro, he won't win the Tour!MajorPayne10-11-2026
- Very true.awp10-11-2026
- Ciccone had a very strong end of season. Consistently attacking and livening up races. Hope he makes that last leap in progress and starts notching some significant wins. Great rider to watch.Occam10-11-2026
- Me too!!!!!Occam10-11-2026
- they can sign any 100 of top riders today but Pogi will win over Remco any time at the TDF unless something goes wrongabstractengineer10-11-2026
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World Champion 2022! 🇧🇪🌈🥇🔥 Dreams do come true, can’t wait to wear the Rainbow Jersey next season!! 🙏🏼 Thanks to the entire team for the amazing work today, a perfect race for us and very proud to finish it off!! 👊🏼 We are Belgium ❤️
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