Belgium : – Remco Evenepoel said even he was surprised as he won the Brabantse Pijl one-day race in Belgium on his comeback, four months after a serious training accident.
Evenepoel outsprinted fellow Belgian Wout Van Aert after the pair broke clear.
“I surprised myself. I was very fresh,” said Evenepoel. “I’m especially pleased with my sprint. I’ve been working a lot on my explosiveness recently and it’s paid off.”
“I felt right at home right away,” he said. “But to beat Wout in a sprint…is exceptional.”
Van Aert said the better rider won.
“Remco killed me,” said Van Aert. “It was impressive, so hard to stay in his wheel. I’m disappointed, of course. But Remco deserves his victory.”
The 25-year-old Evenepoel was greeted by a huge crowd on the final circuit in the Brussels suburbs.