Remco Evenepoel: ‘I would be more comfortable without all the attention’

The first-year pro has reflected on the pressure he faces

Remco Evenepoel is in his first year as a pro with Deceuninck - Quick-Step (Photo: Yuzuru SUNADA)

(Image credit: Yuzuru SUNADA)

Remco Evenepoel says he would be ‘more comfortable’ without all the attention that comes with his potential.

The 19-year-old has become an almost overnight star having joined Deceuninck – Quick-Step at such a young age.

Evenepoel, the junior road race and time trial world champion, has been one of the big stories of 2019, after he skipped the under-23 category to join the WorldTour team.

Having been dubbed by some as the next Eddy Merckx, the Belgian has reflected on the attention he has received.

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He told cycling news site Wielerflits: “I’ll remain calm, but I must admit that I would be more comfortable if I could prepare myself for races without all the attention.

“Sometimes it bothers me. I know journalists are doing their job, and of course I will speak to them out of respect.

“But sometimes I read things about me that make me wonder ‘was that really supposed to go in the newspaper’.”

Evenepoel dominated the junior ranks, taking victory in 23 of the 35 races he entered last season, including the double at the Worlds.

He is off to an exciting start in 2019, finishing third in the individual time trial of the Vuelta a San Juan and taking victory in the youth classification.

Having held his own amongst some of the best in the world on the first mountain of the UAE Tour, he abandoned the Middle East stage race after a crash on stage four.

Evenepoel will make his professional debut on home soil on Wednesday (March 20), where he will race Nokere Koerse.

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He said: “I’m currently getting the attention my team-mates deserve.

“Julian Alaphilippe, for example, already has six victories in his pocket. He deserves that attention much more.

“I haven’t done anything as a pro.

“I’m only 19 and still fully engaged in the learning process.”

Deceuninck – Quick-Step sports direct Rik Van Slycke echoed Evenpoel’s thoughts on the pressure.

Van Slycke said it’s “unbelievable” how many interview requests the team receives, and that the attention is similar to that once given to fellow Belgian Tom Boonen.

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Alex Ballinger

Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers.  Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.