A rainbow in black-yellow-red: reigning world champion Remco Evenepoel became Belgian road race champion on Sunday.
On the flat course of Izegem, a priori favorable to sprinters, the “little cannibal” won the prestigious duel opposing him to his great rival Wout Van Aert by signing his eighth success of the season.
He won in the sprint ahead of his breakaway companion, the young (20) Alec Segaert, already vice-champion of Belgium in the time trial on Thursday.
Evenepoel who had fallen during this event against the clock won in Herzele by… Van Aert therefore took a resounding revenge.
Forced to retire due to a Covid-19 infection during the Tour of Italy of which he was the leader, the prodigy of the Soudal-Quick Step formation confirmed his return to the fore after, also, his victory of stage a week ago at the Tour de Suisse.
Evenepoel and Van Aert were the two great animators of a race in which the swift Jasper Philipsen and Tim Merlier were the favourites.
On a course which a priori favors pure sprinters, Wout Van Aert has opted to bet on an offensive race.
Constantly at the forefront, the leader of the Jumbo team escaped 60 kilometers from the line in the company of Yves Lampaert. If the advantage of the two men quickly approached the minute, they could not resist the work of the teams of sprinters.
They were joined 28km from the finish, a moment chosen by Evenepoel to place a sharp start to provoke a nine-man breakaway.
The world champion accelerated again ten kilometers from the goal. This time, only the young Alex Segaert (Lotto-Dstny) was able to follow him. In vain.
