Van Aert and Evenepoel will lead the Belgian men’s cycling team at the Olympic Games in Paris

BRUSSELS – One-day race specialist Wout van Aert and two-time world champion Remco Evenepoel will lead the Belgian men’s road cycling team at the Olympic Games in Paris.

Both riders will compete in the individual test and in the road race. They will be joined in the road race by Tiesj Benoot and Jasper Stuyven, the Belgian federation announced on Tuesday.

Belgian champion Arnaud De Lie was selected as reserve alongside Jasper Philipsen, Yves Lampaert and Tim Wellens.

The women’s selection will be announced next month.

“With Wout and Remco we cannot ignore it,” said national coach Sven Vanthourenhout, quoted by local broadcaster RTBF. “They are our two headliners, the two riders who distinguish themselves from this quartet, riders who have won at the highest level, Remco has been world champion, Wout has won classics.”

The men’s Olympic road race is a challenging 273 kilometer (170 mile) ride scheduled for August 3. The time trial is on July 27.

“Races with a distance of 270 kilometers are not easy,” said Vanthourenhout. “And then we have two hyper-experienced riders, Tiesj Benoot and Jasper Stuyven. They know exactly what they can and cannot do. They have gained a lot of confidence in the national team.”

Before the Olympic Games in Paris, Evenepoel will participate in his first Tour de France as leader of the Soudal Quick-Step team. Van Aert also plays a supporting role in the Visma-Lease a Bike team of defending champion Jonas Vingegaard.

Evenepoel won the world time trial last year and the road race in 2022. He had to undergo surgery this season after breaking a collarbone and shoulder blade in a crash in the Tour of the Basque Country.

Van Aert is widely regarded as one of the world’s best and most versatile riders. The three-time cyclo-cross world champion is also the winner of nine Tour stages and the points classification. His most important race victories include Milan-San Remo, Strade Bianche, Gent-Wevelgem and the Amstel Gold Race.

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Olympic Games AP https://apnews.com/hub/2024-paris-olympic-games