Remco Evenepoel wins big at Creative Belgium Awards with campaign born from crash: “I would have preferred to do that without an accident”

Remco Evenepoel is no stranger to winning on the bike, but now he’s a winner off it too. The Belgian star has scooped seven trophies at the Creative Belgium Awards for a road safety campaign that was born out of misfortune.

The campaign, titled ‘Remco Reflex’, was launched after Remco Evenepoel collided with the door of a stationary bpost van last winter, forcing a delay to the start of his 2025 season. The crash kept him off the bike for months and derailed his early-season plans. But out of that moment came a powerful initiative.

“I am proud that the 'Remco Reflex' has won an award,” Evenepoel said with a smile at the presentation. “It is a great initiative that I would like to associate my name with. Although I would have preferred to do that without an accident. But I am super proud that I can contribute to road safety in this way.”

The idea behind the campaign is simple but effective. According to HLN, 100,000 stickers bearing Evenepoel’s image were distributed free of charge, with the intention of reminding drivers to check for cyclists before opening their door. The stickers are designed to be placed on the inside of the driver’s side window, an everyday visual cue that could prevent serious accidents.

The timing of the campaign’s recognition is poignant. After months on the sidelines, Evenepoel made a strong return to racing in April, winning Brabantse Pijl ahead of Wout van Aert, before securing a podium at the Amstel Gold Race. He is currently preparing for his next big test at the Critérium du Dauphiné, which starts on 8 June, and then eyes his Tour de France return as the centrepiece of his summer where he will face off against Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard for the yellow jersey.