It was monumental, like the streets of Paris he conquered, Remco Evenepoel unleashed, relentless, a true champion. Also dramatic, because his story lacked a plot twist, a puncture with four kilometers to go when he was already savoring victory alone. The screams, the desperation, the quick bike change. And the relief afterwards. The fierce Belgian will be remembered, his photo with the Eiffel Tower in the background, already one of the big names of these Olympic Games. Because he did what no one else did. At Trocadero, he raised his arms, the first in history to win both the road race and time trial.
So determined that no one deserved it more than him. In a race without a clear favorite, where teams can only have a maximum of four riders, Remco knew that his move had to come from far away. In the three final climbs up the cobbled Montmartre, a beautiful homage to cycling, it was the terrain for the top contenders, Mathieu Van der Poel and Wout van Aert. Evenepoel counted on that and also on the Belgian tactics, which worked perfectly. He was accompanied on the podium by two French riders, in this patriotic medal celebration.
Laurent Madouas, taking advantage of the Belgian's slipstream when he resisted one of the breakaways. And Christophe Laporte, who won the sprint among the rest, those who were thwarted by Remco's dominance. Among them were the three Spanish riders, quiet throughout the day. The best was Alex Aranburu (18th), followed by Juan Ayuso (22nd) and Oier Lazkano (35th).
The over 270 kilometers, filled with challenges like hurdles for the cyclists, on a not-so-hot day in Paris, were a crescendo of tension as the group approached the beautiful circuit through the heart of the Games. After the typical exotic breakaway, which at one point had over a 15-minute lead, the ever-restless Ben Healy ventured out with Alexey Lutsenko.
But Evenepoel had already set off fireworks at the entrance to the circuit. He was the first to make a move. Then a dangerous group of seven formed between Healy and the rest, and Thijs Benoot, tirelessly, tried to bring some order. But when the first ascent to Montmartre arrived, with crowded streets and cobblestones as a challenging element, Van der Poel's first explosion came. Like a rocket, so aggressive, so spectacular. And yet, he wouldn't find a gap.
Because Van Aert was glued to his wheel, a lifetime together, how could they not be in an Olympic event. And that drying work would be gold for the Belgians, controlling the main rival. A little later came Remco's definitive strike, swallowing up, one by one, all those ahead of him. And no one could follow him on the subsequent ascents. Madouas was the last and earned a silver medal.
Everything was so perfect... It seemed unreal when Evenepoel raised his arms, already seeing the Eiffel Tower in the distance. It seemed like a celebration, but what he needed was help, the breakdown, the drama. The bike change was so swift that he could recover and breathe. Shortly after, he was already celebrating, while the crowds roared. He crossed the finish line, dismounted, and posed for the photo of his life. Remco, third in the recent Tour, is unique, also the youngest gold medalist since professionals have been allowed to compete.