"The most important thing will be to get the race rhythm back after all this time” - Remco Evenepoel looks ahead to impending return at Brabantse Pijl

On the 18th of April, Remco Evenepoel makes a long-awaited return to the peloton, finally kick starting his 2025 season at Brabantse Pijl. After a disastrous crash involving a BPost van back in early December, Evenepoel has been waiting a long time to get back into the mix.

“I am counting the days until I can race with the guys again for the first time in more than six months," explains the double Olympic gold medal winning Belgian in a press release to the official website of the Soudal - Quick-Step team ahead of Brabantse Pijl 2025. "It’s been a long time since my previous outing with the team, but I am happy to be so close to my return."

"I’ve worked hard all these months, I’ve been on a solid training camp in Spain, and I feel good and motivated for Brabantse," continues Evenepoel, keen to play down any expectations for his performance, given the lengthy lay off has been forced to endure. "I’m not going there with any specific goals, as the most important thing will be to get the race rhythm back after all this time.”

Given the slight uncertainty surrounding the level of Evenepoel ahead of his return, it's possible that Soudal - Quick-Step may be backing the British national champion Ethan Hayter in their quest for victory. But with a strong support team of Pascal Eenkhoorn, Gil Gelders, Thomas Pesenti, Pepijn Reinderink and Pieter Serry, there are plenty of options for 'The Wolfpack'.

“It’s not a World Tour event, but that doesn’t mean Brabantse Pijl is an easy race. On the contrary, it’s one of the hardest one-day races of the spring, with countless climbs and narrow roads that should make for an action-packed and really tense day. We have a strong team for Friday and we hope to be in the mix and get a good result at the end of the day,” adds the Soudal - Quick-Step sports director Dries Devenyns.

Remco Evenepoel
Ethan Hayter
Pascal Eenkhoorn
Gil Gelders
Thomas Pesenti
Pepijn Reinderink
Pieter Serry