Remco Evenepoel celebrated his Olympic Video games gold medal in Paris on Sunday night time after which travelled to Belgium for just a few quiet days at house. Nonetheless arduous days of racing and late nights don’t seem to trouble him.
After profitable the Olympic time trial in central Paris, Evenepoel revealed that he celebrated his Tour de France podium place till 4 o’clock within the morning final Sunday in Good however nonetheless recovered in time to be at his finest for Saturday’s race towards the clock.
On Saturday night time Evenepoel’s gold and Wout Van Aert’s bronze medal had been celebrated on the Belgian Olympic Home in Paris, within the presence of Eddy Merckx, 2016 gold medallist Greg van Avermaet and their emotional households.
The riders and their households then drove throughout northern France to their properties in Belgium. Evenepoel will solely have just a few days to get well from his efforts and the feelings of profitable Olympic gold however is assured in his capability to stage one other fast restoration. It labored after the fatigue of the Tour de France and Evenepoel hopes it can once more forward of Saturday’s males’s highway race.
“It’s true, I actually solely went to mattress at 4:30 final Sunday after the Tour,” he confided. “I used to be not fascinated by how I used to be going to really feel within the time trial as a result of I had one thing else to rejoice at that second.
“After my late night time I spent all of Monday in mattress and I went to a restaurant. On Tuesday I went on the bike however once more went out to a restaurant. Then we flew to Paris for the recon on Wednesday after which I had some very lengthy sleeps. I solely began to really feel contemporary once more on Friday and abruptly I felt that there was one thing nonetheless within the tank. That was a confidence enhance and one thing that helped me to carry out within the time trial.”
Evenepoel was the quickest at each checkpoint, averaging 53.7kph on the moist roads to ship a profitable time of 36:12 within the 32.4km Olympic time trial. He completed 15 seconds forward of Filippo Ganna (Italy) and 25 seconds forward of fellow Belgian Van Aert.
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“I had questions on my type and I didn’t understand how I used to be going to carry out. So it is some of the lovely moments in my life and my profession,” stated Evenepoel.
Celebrating vs profitable the subsequent one
Time at house will little question enable him to savour his newest success. Belgium is a small nation and solely wins a handful of medals at every Olympics and Evenepoel has gained a uncommon gold one.
“Nonetheless no phrases, Olympic Champion…” Evenepoel posted on social media on Sunday after a late wake-up at house after 5 weeks on the highway.
Evenepoel remains to be solely 24 however he has already accomplished his set of time trial titles. He was European champion in 2019, Belgian champion in 2022 and world champion in 2023 and now in 2024 he has secured the Olympic title within the self-discipline.
“It was the final championship that was lacking from my time trial profession, within the time trial side. I feel that listing is ticked off,” he stated.
“It is simply unimaginable to have the ability to win this after an incredible Tour de France. This implies rather a lot. It is each 4 years that we get an opportunity to win this one.”
Evenepoel delay any main celebrations till after the highway race on Saturday August 3, the place he’s a part of a robust four-rider group that features Van Aert, Jasper Stuyven and Tiesj Benoot.
“There’s not a lot time to social gathering as a result of there is a massive and essential race arising,” stated Evenepoel. “I hope that we are going to have an additional social gathering subsequent week. Now we’ll savour this second after which go for it once more subsequent week.”
Evenepoel’s confidence is sky excessive after a month of unimaginable performances, but he is aware of the 273 km highway race, with small groups and a peloton of simply 90 riders, can be tough to win. His largest rivals embody Mathieu van der Poel of the Netherlands, his French Soudal-QuickStep teammate Julian Alaphilippe and Biniam Girmay of Eritrea.
“I feel it is a utterly totally different race. Fortunately, I am not a lone chief in my group, we’ve got a number of playing cards to play,” Evenepoel advised.
“Wout is in excellent form, Jasper too, whereas Tiesj can be at all times, at all times good in Traditional-style races. I feel we’ve got a really sturdy group. After all there are different sturdy riders and nations too.
“First I’ll take pleasure in this one, rest-up and I nonetheless have nearly every week to consider how we’ll attempt to win the highway race.”
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