Remco Evenepoel personally recruits Philippe Gilbert’s 15-year-old son for his cycling team

The move brings together two generations of Belgian cycling talent and adds another chapter to the friendship between Evenepoel and Gilbert, who spent the 2019 season together at Deceuninck-Quick-Step.

For Alan, it is an opportunity to take the next step in his development under a programme backed by one of the biggest names in the sport. But while his father built his reputation on explosive attacks and victories in the toughest one-day races, the younger Gilbert appears to be heading in a different direction.

The Academy confirmed his arrival on Instagram, highlighting his fifth-place finish in Frankfurt earlier this year, where two of his teammates from the Wallonia-Brussels Federation took first and second.

Gilbert joins from Vélo Club Ardennes, where he has spent the past few seasons.

"I'm very happy to join the R.EV Cycling Academy and ready for the next step," Alan said. "I want to keep building my speed, sharpen my timing and get better at reading races.

The story behind the transfer goes back to a training ride in the Ardennes last year.

Evenepoel was reconnoitring the route of Liège-Bastogne-Liège alongside Philippe Gilbert and his son when the conversation turned to Alan's future. According to Remco's father, Patrick Evenepoel, the Belgian star personally encouraged the youngster to join his junior team.

"Remco told Alan that he should come and ride for his junior team," Patrick explained to Sporza.

The connection between the families stretches back almost a decade. In 2017, Gilbert helped make it possible for a young Evenepoel to compete in his junior race, La Philippe Gilbert Juniors, despite his team initially not being on the start list.

Evenepoel went on to win the event.

Two years later, the pair were teammates at Deceuninck-Quick-Step and represented Belgium at the World Championships in Harrogate. Now, the relationship has come full circle, with Gilbert's son joining a development programme carrying Evenepoel's name.

"Remco has always looked up to Phil," Patrick Evenepoel said, recalling their time together in 2019. "And so many years later, Phil's son is riding for Remco's team. That's a really beautiful story."

Founded in 2023 by Remco and Patrick Evenepoel, the R.EV Brussels Cycling Academy aims to make cycling more accessible to young people in Brussels while developing the next generation of Belgian talent. Its U19 team was launched in 2025, with Evenepoel still closely involved in rider selection and the day-to-day running of the project.