The absence of Justine Ghekiere for the European Championships is a major setback, but the Belgian cycling federation also has good news. Remco Evenepoel can count on Tiesj Benoot again for Sunday’s road race. The experienced rider had to withdraw from the recent World Championships in Rwanda due to illness.
Of the last World Championships, the Visma | Lease a Bike rider only missed the 2022 edition in Wollongong, but Benoot also had to skip the global title battle in and around Kigali. "I tested positive for Covid. I didn’t feel great, but thought it was because of the last vaccination I had. That turned out not to be the case," he told Het Nieuwsblad. "I took three tests, all clearly positive. We decided not to travel."
Benoot was already not worried about his participation in the European Road Championships back then, and the Belgian cycling federation has now confirmed that the all-rounder will ‘definitely’ start the road race on Sunday. With his qualities and experience, the East Flemish rider is expected to play an important role within the team and for leader Remco Evenepoel.
No Ilan Van Wilder
Benoot’s role might have become even more crucial, as Ilan Van Wilder will not travel to the south of France. The Belgian crashed on Sunday during the World Championships road race and has been diagnosed with a broken left wrist.
"This was not how I wanted to end my first World Championships…," Van Wilder wrote on Instagram. "I’m really disappointed to have to end the race – and my season – while I was feeling strong, but unfortunately I sustained a fracture." The 25-year-old originally had the European Championships and the Giro di Lombardia on his schedule. He will now have to miss these races.
