Remco Evenepoel, Belgium’s two-time Olympic champion, has found fresh serious motivation to return to competition after an injury, thanks to the intense rivalry between Tadej Pogacar and Mathieu van der Poel.
The 25-year-old cyclist was sidelined in December after suffering torn shoulder ligaments when a postal van door unexpectedly swung open during his training ride. The injury was so severe that he considered early retirement and said it could’ve ended his career had he been an athlete in another sport like tennis or basketball.
Despite the setbacks, watching Pogacar and Van der Poel dominate recent spring classics — with Van der Poel winning Paris-Roubaix and Pogacar taking victory at the Tour of Flanders — helped Evenepoel rediscover his drive. He made his return to racing on April 18 at the Brabantse Pijl and is scheduled to face Pogacar at the Amstel Gold Race on April 20.
“Pogacar inspires me, but beating him is my job,” said Evenepoel, who’s aiming to eventually compete — and win — in races like Milan-San Remo, the Tour of Flanders, and Roubaix.
Evenepoel had a stellar 2024 season, securing third place at the Tour de France and clinching both Olympic time-trial and road race gold medals in Paris. But his December crash — which resulted in multiple fractures, lung contusions, and a dislocated shoulder with torn ligaments — left him physically and mentally shaking. Surgery on his shoulder was extensive, and he’s still dealing with lingering nerve damage affecting muscle function.
“This was the second time in six months I injured the same shoulder,” he said. “It made me question if it would ever recover properly.”
Known for bouncing back from crashes — including notable ones at the 2020 Giro di Lombardia and the Tour of the Basque Country — Evenepoel admitted the recovery this time was particularly tough, as others were already training while he had to rest for six weeks.
He’s targeting a strong performance in the upcoming Ardennes classics, including La Fleche Wallonne and Liege-Bastogne-Liege, which he previously won in 2022 and 2023. While he says he’s not at peak condition, he remains hopeful.
“I’m not in top form yet, but I’m still strong. Beating guys like Pogacar and Pidcock will be hard, but if I’ve got good legs, why not?”
In other cycling news, the final stage of the 2025 Women’s Tour of Britain will take place in Glasgow on June 8, marking the first time the race ends in Scotland. The event will span four stages, starting in the Yorkshire Moors and progressing north to the Scottish Borders before concluding in Glasgow.
