"There is one plan, and that is it" - Remco Evenepoel looks forward to being Belgium's sole leader in Slovenia
Cycling
A retake awaits Remco Evenepoel this Sunday. Following the unsuccessful World Championships where he finished 12th after a race spent on the defensive end, the Belgain will aim to fix his reputation in Slovenia during the European Championships. Absent of any bigger name than the Olympic champion's the odds are as favourable as possible.
It was not a smooth run up to the race though. Evenepoel (just like many others) had to travel across the Atlantic soon after the World Championships, and has taken several days to get accustomed to the "new" environment.
"I am not suffering from jet lag," Evenepoel updates VTM NIEUWS about his preparation at a pre-race press conference. "Tuesday was a bit tough, but now, after a lot of sleep, I am in the European rhythm."
Time to turn the page
Of course, Evenepoel can take pride in his fourth consecutive time trial world title as he now equals all-time legends Fabian Cancellara and Tony Martin who have however not won their respective titles in a single streak. But his goals in Montréal went far beyond that one victory. The double Olympic champion wished to repeat the same feat in chase of rainbow two years later.
However his road race went far from ideal. Evenepoel was clearly struggling even to be part of the select group competing for overall title, and eventually finished in a forgettable 12th place - his worst result in the event since 2023. A small hope can come from the fact that Evenepoel finished 7th among Europeans, and only Giulio Ciccone and Mads Pedersen will be present for the road race in Slovenia.
Was there even anything positive to take away from that race?
"Well, not very much. Lots of nice memories and a world title in the time trial. But last Sunday I simply didn't have the feeling to compete for the win. Quite a shame, because I had high expectations. I am allowed to be self-critical about that. But with this European Championship, we can quickly shift our focus."
Rumours surfaced already during the race that Evenepoel's compatriot Thibau Nys reported back to the team car that Evenepoel was not feeling well, but the Belgian leader quickly shuts down any thought of an illness: "I never felt sick."
The sole leader
As contrary to the World Championships where Wout Van Aert started as a co-leader, Belgium will enter with only one leader (Evenepoel) in Slovenia. Evenepoel finds that a double-edged sword, but in any case he looks forward to the full support he'll be provided.
"It's not necessarily easier. You can't hide behind someone. But for the teammates, it might be simpler. There is one plan, and that is it. There are pros and cons, that is always the case. A lot also depends on the typical course. In Canada, it certainly could have been done that way. Wout had his ambition and I had mine. It just wasn't meant to be."
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How does he view this Sunday's European Championship road race? "It is a beautiful course with a tough climb but also flat sections in between. Riding away on those sections won't be easy. We have a strong group at the start. We know how to control this."
"I'm looking forward to it. We're going for it. Winning all the jerseys is something I will chase until the very last day of my career. But it certainly won't be easy."
Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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