Evenepoel stuns Belgian fans: forfeiting National Championships, but spotted on time trial bike training for the Tour?

Remco Evenepoel has had to pull out of the Belgian National Cycling Championships. The defending champion announced on his social media channels that he is "a bit sick" and therefore unable to defend his 2023 champion's jersey.

According to HLN, he’s got a cold, and Evenepoel doesn’t want to take any risks ahead of the Tour de France. In a message to his fans, he explains: "Winning the Belgian championship last year was very special. So, I’m very disappointed that I can’t defend my title. I’m a bit sick. Everyone knows that when I race, I want to go all-in, and although I’m not very ill, I won’t be able to be at one hundred percent."

Meanwhile, Soudal-Quick Step has issued a press release announcing all the riders participating in the various national championships, confirming that Evenepoel has a cold. "

Although it’s only a mild illness, Remco and our team have decided that, after a longer period at an altitude camp, it would be better for him not to start in what will be a competitive and demanding race, and to avoid the risk of further disruption to his preparations for the upcoming Tour de France and the Olympic Games."

Notably, earlier in the day, images surfaced of Evenepoel, taken by Le Bien Public Sport and a roadside supporter. The world time trial champion was seen during a reconnaissance of the time trial course for stage seven of the Tour de France. Was he reconning with a runny nose? It’s said that he completed the time trial twice.

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Soudal-Quick Step fielding many riders for National Championships

However, a host of other riders will be in action this weekend on behalf of The Wolfpack. "Sunday will be one of the best days of the year. There will be a lot of racing and we aim to be among the main competitors again. It goes without saying that we want to have a good day in Belgium, where the course is harder than it looks. But Belgium is not the only country where we could get nice results, so we are confident about our chances," said team manager Tom Steels.

In Belgium, Yves Lampaert and Tim Merlier, among others, are at the start. Jan Hirt and Josef Cerny are heading to the Czech Republic and Kasper Asgreen and Casper Pedersen are racing in Denmark.