Reinderink surprised by Evenepoel at SQS 'Club Championships': "He impressed us all"

Pepijn Reinderink feels at home at Soudal Quick-Step. The 22-year-old Dutch rider, who in his first season in the WorldTour last year immediately won the mountain GC in the Tour of Luxembourg and repeated this in the Chinese WorldTour finale, the Gree Tour of Guangxi, has now earned his spot within the Belgian team. However, the Dutch rider wants more and thus embarks on 2025, full of ambition.

Reinderink, who started last season in the Soudal Quick-Step development team, was promoted to the WorldTour branch early the previous year, but that was no surprise to the Dutch rider himself. "I already felt ready for the step to the pros. If the opportunity arises, you don't say no to it. The beginning took time because I had prepared for a year in the U23 category. I would win races, but now I had to be a domestique more often. That took some adjusting mentally."

In conversation with Wielerrevue, the Dutch rider revealed he has many qualities that can be used in many races. "The team knows what they can do with me, but my goal is to grow to the status of team leader or at least someone who can win big races. Then, I think, especially in the spring, I would like to assist GC riders like Mikel Landa and Remco Evenepoel in grand tours. That's a role that should suit me well."

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Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel

Evenepoel not only Olympic champion, but also club champion

At Soudal Quick-Step, Reinderink will ride with Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel. He can remember his first moment with the Belgian all too well. "Last year, in January, I was amazed at his strength. He impressed us all in a training race. We call that training race the club championships."

"This year, unfortunately, he is not here," he refers to the serious injury Evenepoel suffered in a crash during training this winter. As a result, the top rider will be out at least until mid-April, and it remains to be seen whether he can finish his desired Ardennes classics then. Winning from his teammates is, therefore, impossible for the time being. Those club championships are fun, and that makes the atmosphere pleasant.

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Pepijn Reinderink

Reinderink has a soccer background just like Evenepoel

The history of Evenepoel, who played as a soccer player in one of the best youth academies in Europe, is similar to that of Reinderink, who, in his younger years, also had a taste of professional soccer. "I had to do qualifying rounds for a selection in the youth of De Graafschap. I made it to the final round but was not accepted. Then it all faded a bit, and I went for cycling."

"I noticed that cycling suited me even better than soccer. My dad used to cycle, and my brother (Joris, who competes for Metec, ed.) and I liked that. Soccer faded into the background, mainly because of the pure love for cycling," Reinderink concludes his story.

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