The Belgian National Cycling Federation has confirmed the lineup for the Olympic elite men’s road race and time trial, with both Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert down to take part in both events.
Tiesj Benoot and Jasper Stuyven will also be taking part in the road race for Belgium with Evenepoel and Van Aert in the four-man squad.
The Belgians have also published their four reserves for the events, named in alphabetical order. Arnaud De Lie, Yves Lampaert, Jasper Philipsen and Tim Wellens are the four substitutes.Â
“Four riders is not much, especially if you consider all the options we have in Belgium,” Sven Vanthourenhout told media, including Sporza.be at a press conference on Tuesday. “But I am convinced that we can travel to Paris with a very strong and experienced team. Our goal is a medal.”
Vanthourenhout pointed out that while Van Aert and Evenepoel have taken eight road race medals across at international, continental and Olympic levels between them, both Stuyven and Benoot were all-rounders with lengthy experience in support.
“They have also meant a lot to the federation. They are guys who are always there at important moments and also know what it is like to win a big race,” Vanthourenhout said, referring to Stuyven’s victory in Milan-San Remo back in 2021 and Benoot’s triumphs in Strade Bianche and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in 2018 and 2023 respectively.Â
Furthermore, even discarding Evenepoel and Van Aert’s track record both in one-day Classics and Road World Championships – in the latter alone, Evenepoel has rainbow jerseys at both junior and senior level in the road and TT events while Wout van Aert has paid multiple visits to the podium in both specialities – means that Belgium will be one of the key teams to watch in both events.
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“We have a lot of confidence in them. Our goal is to get a medal and I hope we can do that with one of these 4 guys,” said Vanthourenhout.
With one rider less than in Tokyo for Belgium, Vanthourenhout also pointed out that “An Olympic road race is very special anyway, and it will now be even more special because we will start with quite a small peloton. That is not a lot for a race of 270 kilometres.”
“Moreover, that peloton does not include every country at the level of a number of European countries.
“Tactically it will be a very difficult race,” says Vanthourenhout. “That’s why you need a lot of experience in your team and we have it. The circuit is not flat and difficult, with two cobbled climbs. It is a tough Classics course.”
Both the elite women’s and elite men’s time trials are scheduled for July 27, followed by the elite men’s road race a week later on Saturday, August 3 and the women’s elite road race on Sunday, August 4.
In the same press conference, the Belgian Federation also named multiple National MTB Champions Jens Schuermans and Pierre de Froidmont for the men’s event in Paris, and and Emeline Detilleux for the women’s race. Meanwhile, Ruben Gommers and Elke Vanhoof will be racing in their respective categories for Belgium in Paris in BMX.
The Belgian women’s road lineup for Paris – also expected to be one of the most important in their events – will be announced on July 6.
