The future of Remco Evenepoel was very much up in the air at the end of 2023. With rumors of a Jumbo-Visma/Soudal – Quick-Step merger and rumors of a move to INEOS Grenadiers, Evenepoel Remco Evenepoel reveals his anguish for a quick solution.
“We are happy and calm that everything remained stable and that we were able to start with a blank page. It was a serious storm for everyone, including me. But I’m certainly happy that everything has calmed down and that I can now focus 100% on what’s to come”, revealed the Belgian to the Sporza TV network.
“Regardless of the situation that existed or could arise, everyone had doubts, questions were asked and fingers were pointed at certain people and not at others. It was a distressing situation within our team. I was very happy when it was all over and I was able to go on vacation.”
Chaos Hindered Evenepoel’s Preparation
Although abandoning the sport completely was never an option, the constant rumor and innuendo surrounding his name in the press really discouraged Evenepoel.
“I wanted a week of rest at home with Oumi (fiancee), after the Vuelta, but that was when it all started. It was exactly the opposite. Instead of preparing calmly for 2 weeks, it was hectic,” he recalls.
The situation was extreme
“I couldn’t fully prepare for that race. Other things were priorities that I would rather not have. The situation was extreme,” reveals Evenepoel.
“Stop running? It didn’t get that far. I wanted to step away from the racing world for a while, but I didn’t want to give up cycling. That never crossed my mind.”
“Cycling is what I like to do and it will always be like that, but I was saturated with the context and with all the storms that had come in my direction and in our direction”, concluded Evenepoel.
