"Lonely months" for nurse, coach and wife Oumi: from tears to gold for Remco Evenepoel

"I honestly still can't believe it," Oumi wrote as her husband became Olympic champion on the time trial bike on Saturday. "It's a dream coming true, but it didn't happen overnight. It took years of preparation, and the last few months were a mental roller coaster. Here are a few key moments that led to this achievement."

Photos reveal Evenepoel undergoing testing in the wind tunnel in America over the winter, eating, training, and sleeping. "We spent many hours on our mountain, living a spartan life," it sounds. Also included are snapshots from the hospital not long after Evenepoel crashed at the Tour of the Basque Country, breaking his shoulder blade. "He forced a smile despite the circumstances, and after the surgery, there were many tears and doubt. Will I get to my level again? Was all this work for nothing? Demotivating..."

Evenepoel rehabilitated like a beast, with "nurse" and "coach" Oumi by his side. The young Belgian also returned to altitude, preparing for the Tour de France and the Olympics. "A lot of lonely weeks and months for me. Dining alone, sleeping alone, getting up alone... He also prepared balanced and fresh food when he was back home, even if that was the night before my university exam. A combination of my job as a wife and my studies."

We read that it was all worth it after third place on the Tour and gold at the Games. "This is just a glimpse of everything. If you keep working hard and never give up, you can make your dreams come true. I'm so proud of you, my man!"