Furious Evenepoel defends in-laws after Van Gucht's TV comments: "Absurd and disrespectful"

Remco Evenepoel didn’t hold back Monday night after hearing comments made by journalist Ruben Van Gucht on Belgian talk show De Afspraak on VRT. The Soudal Quick-Step rider fired off a lengthy and emotional response on social channels, clearly stung by what was said. “This is complete nonsense,” he wrote.

“I feel forced to respond to the absurd and disrespectful claims Ruben Van Gucht made about my private life,” Evenepoel wrote. “He said I’m financially supporting my wife’s family.” The comments came as Van Gucht spoke on Monday evening during a segment about Evenepoel following his Ardennes campaign. The cycling journalist referred to him as “a street fighter,” adding, “I don’t mind that. Riders don’t all have to be polished personalities.”

Van Gucht also commented on the fact that Evenepoel, alongside his wife Oumi, has been exploring Islam more deeply. “There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that,” he said. “Hopefully, it brings him a lot of strength.” According to Van Gucht, Evenepoel hasn’t spoken much about his faith publicly, but he did mention “his wife’s family.” “The fact is, in recent years, he has involved his wife’s family more and more in his victories and performances. From what I hear, he also tries to support them.”

“Is that necessary? Maybe not. That’s for him to decide. I don’t think many of his colleagues approach things that way,” Van Gucht added. When asked what exactly he meant, he continued, “It’s just what I hear. So sure, people can say tomorrow that these are just empty rumors. But I’m simply repeating what’s going around inside the cycling world.”

Read more below the photo.

Evenepoel didn’t hesitate to respond after hearing Van Gucht’s remarks. “Let me be very clear, this is complete nonsense,” he wrote. “My wife comes from a well-off family, with parents who have built a beautiful life for their children through hard work and entrepreneurship. Oumi was my neighbor. Her parents live just 200 meters from mine in Schepdaal. Anyone from the area knows they live in a beautiful villa. A proper house.”

And he would know. “I have been welcomed there with open arms since I was 17. We have known each other since we were kids, long before money, fame or anything else was involved. Her parents did not build their success thanks to anyone, and certainly not thanks to me. So for you, Ruben, to suggest that I am supporting them? Let me make something clear. If anyone has been supportive, it is our parents, who have always done everything to help us and make us stronger.”

In the closing lines of his message, Evenepoel hit back even harder. “I do not know where you get your stories from, Ruben. Or is it just hard for you to believe that a Moroccan family worked hard and became successful? That says more about your narrow worldview than about reality. The truth is simple. Love, respect and hard work got us where we are today. Not prejudice, not gossip and definitely not so-called journalists who prefer to spread nonsense.”

And the final jab? “Maybe you should be more concerned about your own family, Ruben. Because we are hearing things too.”