Evenepoel set to be supported by debutant trio at Rwanda Worlds

Belgian national coach Serge Pauwels is set to announce his eight-man squad for the road-race World Championships in Kigali, Rwanda, on Tuesday, with Remco Evenepoel reportedly to be supported by three debutants to the Worlds.

According to Het Laatste Nieuws, Ilan Van Wilder, Cian Uijtdebroeks, and Florian Vermeersch will all step up to make their debuts representing the Belgian squad at the Elite Road Race World Championships in Rwanda, joining Tiesj Benoot, Victor Campernaerts and the aforementioned Evenepoel, with two spots remaining. 

Remco Evenepoel hasn’t raced since the Tour de France, but kicks off his racing preparations on Tuesday at the Tour of Britain, where he also participated twelve months ago. Evenepoel’s Soudal-QuickStep sports director Klaas Lodewyck revealed that there isn’t any pressure on the Belgian’s shoulders at the Tour of Britain, but rather a focus on building shape ahead of the main goal in Rwanda.

"It's important to have a good week and that he can leave here in better shape than when he arrived. He was able to complete a good training camp in Livigno and do everything he needed to do,” said Lodewyck to Sporza.

With the demanding route for the 2025 Worlds road race, featuring 5,475 metres of elevation gain across 267.5km, many high-profile riders have opted to skip the trip to Rwanda, and Belgium have also had plenty of riders withdraw their potential participation for different reasons, including Wout van Aert, Laurens De Plus, Maxim Van Gils, and Tim Wellens leaving the Belgian coach with empty slots to solve.

Uijtdebroeks earned his place through impressive August performances after initially being left out of consideration. The 22-year-old claimed his first two professional victories, winning a stage and the GC at the Tour de l’Ain, before coming agonisingly close to GC victory at the Czech Tour, eventually finishing 2nd behind compatriot Junior Lecerf. 

Pauwels had spoken to VTM Nieuws a few weeks earlier regarding Uijtdebroeks: "His selection was on hold for a long time because he was struggling with some issues. But after his good San Sebastián and the Tour de l'Ain, I want to talk to Cian again. He's in a great groove, has ambition, and wants to go to Rwanda."

For the final two spots, Pauwels appears to favour Alpecin-Deceuninck riders Quinten Hermans and Xandro Meurisse over Louis Vervaeke, despite the latter's strong Vuelta performance for Soudal Quick-Step. Both Hermans and Meurisse have been altitude training in Livigno alongside Evenepoel and have received specific heat acclimatisation instructions for Rwanda's tropical conditions.

HLN also reported on Monday that Primož Roglič is set to line out at the road race alongside the defending champion Tadej Pogačar for the Slovenian squad.