Belgian phenom Remco Evenepoel faces at least another three weeks of rest before getting back on his bicycle. Photo: Dario Belingheri/BettiniPhoto
Belgian phenom Remco Evenepoel won’t be back on his bicycle any time soon.
Evenepoel, who will celebrate his 21st birthday on January 25, crashed heavily during the Il Lombardia one-day monument in mid-August last year and hasn’t been seen in action since.
While descending the Muro di Sormano, he collided with a low wall on the side of a bridge and somersaulted over it, falling several metres below the road.
In many ways he was lucky to escape with “only” a fractured pelvis and a right lung contusion.
Evenepoel’s Deceuninck-Quick-Step team issued a statement this week confirming he is set to remain off his bicycle for at least another three weeks to give his body further time to heal.
“As part of his continued rehabilitation process, Remco Evenepoel underwent a scan in order to assess the progress of the injuries,” read the statement.
“Upon assessment of the scan results, it has been decided that Remco will take a further short period of recuperation and rehabilitation before returning to on-bike training.
“While the scan revealed no further damage to his pelvis, the decision has been made in order to allow his injuries further time in which to fully heal.”
Evenepoel represents the next big hope in Belgian cycling, following in the illustrious footsteps of riders like Eddy Merckx and Tom Boonen, among many others.
