Belgium embrace road race favourites tag after Evenepoel’s golden ride

Evenepoel briefly hijacked his coach’s moment, grinning to Sporza that Pauwels was one-for-one in medals, with “only 98 more to go” to match predecessor Sven Vanthourenhout. The statement captured the mood. Belgium’s new era began with a bang, and it was Evenepoel who provided the fireworks.

Pauwels admitted he had expected a duel with Tadej Pogačar but no such contest materialised. Evenepoel was already ahead at the first checkpoint and stretched his lead remorselessly on the climb. “We weren’t surprised at the first split because we had already timed him ourselves,” Pauwels said. 

“At the bottom of the climb he was 15 seconds up, and at the top it was already 45. That gave us confidence because we knew the course was weighted towards the second half. Everything kept looking good, and you could see how he grew in confidence with every time check.”

By the finish, Evenepoel had not only beaten Pogačar but lapped him in a manner few would have dared imagine. “I had thought it was fifty-fifty,” Pauwels admitted. “I believed the course suited Pogačar too, but there was no contest at all.”

That changes the complexion of Sunday’s road race, where Belgium will line up with the burden of favouritism. Pauwels is not shying away from it. “We’re not suddenly at ease just because we’ve won the time trial,” he said. 

“We have a very strong team for Sunday and we have a good plan that we’ve already discussed. This gives us confidence. Or hope, at least. Pogačar will be hungry for revenge, but we have drawn strength from this too.”

The new coach could hardly have asked for more from his opening act. The 267.5km road race on Sunday offers Belgium the chance to extend their golden beginning, with Remco Evenepoel and Tadej Pogačar preparing for another clash in Kigali.