Reports that Remco Evenepoel could face a nine-day ban for skipping the Belgian Road National Championships, and so, in theory, be stopped from riding the Tour de France, have sparked a polemic in Belgium.
It is uncertain if Evenepoel will be obliged to race on Sunday, produce some kind of medical justification or try to challenge a possible ban.
Evenepoel trained in the Alps at the start of the week. He is on the initial start list for Sunday’s flat road race championships near Antwerp, but according to Het Laatste Nieuws, he will not ride, preferring to rest up for the Tour de France, where he will target the general classification. His Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team have still to indicate which of their riders will compete in the many National Championships.
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All the Tour de France riders are expected to travel to Barcelona for the Grand Depart on Tuesday, with the Tour starting on Saturday, July 4.
Wielerflits highlighted how the Belgian Cycling Federation is one of a few governing bodies that mandates participation in National Championship road races.
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Rules indicate a nine-day suspension for non-participation, which, if applied immediately, could, in theory, threaten Evenepoel’s plans to ride the Tour de France. Anyone who does not comply with that suspension risks an additional sanction of a fine, a 14-day suspension and the loss of any prize money.
Wielerflits offers a caveat and suggests that a ban will never be strictly applied, suggesting the Belgian Federation is flexing its muscles or has perhaps struck a deal with the big-name riders who want to miss the Championships. Any ban could perhaps be served later in the year, away from the major races.
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“As a federation, together with the event organiser, we make significant efforts to maintain the high standard and prestige of the Belgian Championships,” Belgian Cycling director of sport, Massimo Van Lancker, told Cyclingnews.
“For that reason, we believe it is important that the best Belgian riders take part. For many riders, this is not an issue; on the contrary, they are proud to compete for the national title.
“Riders who are unable to participate must provide official legal documentation demonstrating that they are genuinely unable to take part. Failure to comply with this obligation may result in a sanction.
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“It is also important to highlight that a substantial portion of the revenues generated by the Belgian Elite Championships is reinvested directly into the sport. These funds support youth championships, national youth competitions, and the development and operation of the national teams.
“There are no exceptions. The Belgian Road Championship is mandatory for every professional cyclist, regardless of profile or status,” Van Lancker told Wielerflits.
“Every rider has received an email containing all the information. The regulations are stated in that email. It is up to every rider to know and respect those regulations.
“If they are unable to attend, they must take the necessary steps. If you have a doctor’s certificate, your absence is legitimate and the sanction is waived. If you do not have a certificate or a valid reason, your absence is unlawful and Belgian Cycling will take measures.”
Evenepoel’s Red Bull-Bora-Hansgrohe team did not respond when contacted by Cyclingnews.
Evenepoel won the 2023 national road race championships and was second last year, with Tim Wellens winning the iconic black, yellow, and red jersey. However, in recent years, some riders have skipped the National Championships, citing illness and injury, only to race aggressively at the Tour de France.
The Belgian Federation is trying to defend their championships with the mandate to race.
“I am not going to question a doctor’s decision. If it says that a rider is too sick to start or has knee pain, then I don’t ask any questions about that. We simply think it is important that the best riders from Belgium are at the start of this race,” Van Lancker said.
“We are making investments to bring the race up to the level of the other top Belgian races. It is also important for the promotion of Belgian cycling that the best riders start.
“That is why we are not going to change that regulation anytime soon. We can now focus on the absentees you mention, but you must not forget that, partly due to the rules, the quality of the starting field remains very high every year.”
Favourites for the men’s road race title include Arnaud Del Lie (Lotto-Intermarche), Tim Merlier (Soudal-QuickStep), Milan Fretin (Cofidis) and Jasper Philipsen (Alpecin-Premier Tech).
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