Major setback in Evenepoel's recovery: Nerve damage in shoulder, Ardennes Classics at risk

Five weeks after his nasty crash into a delivery van during training, Remco Evenepoel was expected to begin his gradual return to the peloton. However, it has now been revealed that his injured shoulder is in worse condition than initially thought. The Belgian time trial world champion had targeted a comeback at the Ardennes Classics, but that goal is now uncertain.

Speaking to Sporza at the Belgian Sports Gala, Evenepoel appeared subdued. When asked about his recovery, he replied, "Difficult." Recent scans revealed a complication. "There’s an additional problem—a nerve has been affected. My shoulder is quite inactive. It will take longer than we expected."

So far, the two-time Olympic champion from Soudal Quick-Step has only undergone basic physiotherapy. "Two days ago, I started more intensive physical therapy. Normally, I would have been training on the rollers this weekend, but I’m aiming for tomorrow," he said on Sunday.

This development is a significant setback. "The bad news is that a nerve has been damaged. The outer muscles—I’m not a physiotherapist—are somewhat inactive. We need to work very hard to stimulate those muscles and get them functioning again. It’s going to take longer than we had hoped," he admitted.

Read more below the photo!

It was a shocking sight: Evenepoel crashed hard in December, and his bike snapped in half

Ardennes may come too soon, but all focus on the Tour de France

Normally, Remco Evenepoel would make his return at the Brabantse Pijl. Will that still happen, or is it now too early? "We don’t know yet," he said. "We’re still aiming for the Brabantse Pijl as the starting point, but we can always delay it if necessary. Thankfully, the Tour is still far away. That’s definitely happening, but I’ll have to see what shape I’m in for the Ardennes." The Ardennes Classics remain the first goal for the 25-year-old Belgian, but at Soudal Quick-Step’s team presentation, he emphasized that the Tour de France is his top priority.

For the first months of the season, The Wolfpack will rely on alternatives. With Mikel Landa and Ilan Van Wilder, the team has two climbers who can step into the role of the injured leader. During the team’s media day, they had initially planned for this temporary leadership to last until mid-April. However, that timeline might now need to be extended.

Subscribe to our Newsletter

Get every week the latest news about CYCLING in your inbox!

Subscribe