Remco Evenepoel is ready to pin a number on his jersey for the first time this season and he will do so by participating on Friday in the Brabantse Pijl, the appetizer before the start of the Ardennes Classics. The two-time Olympic champion, who completed a training camp at altitude in Sierra Nevada with some of his teammates, has raced in the Belgian one-day event only once in 2022, finishing in the top ten.

«I'm counting down the days before I can return to racing after more than six months. It's been a long time since my last outing with the team, but I'm happy to be so close to my comeback. I've worked hard during these months, I had a good training camp in Spain and I feel good and motivated for the Brabantse. I'm not going there with specific goals, because the most important thing will be to regain race rhythm after all this time», Remco said.

Together with Evenepoel will be Pascal Eenkhoorn, Gil Gelders, British champion Ethan Hayter, Thomas Pesenti – who comes from Team Devo – Pepijn Reinderink and Pieter Serry, who was on the podium in 2012.

The race runs between Beersel and Overijse, on a 162.6 km route that includes a total of 21 climbs, some with pavé: the race promises to be challenging, without a single moment of respite for the riders. The last difficulty of the day will once again be the famous S-Bocht Overijse, which comes just before the finish, a hill that averages 4.2% over 1300 meters.

«It's not a World Tour event, but this doesn't mean the Brabantse Pijl is an easy race. On the contrary, it's one of the toughest one-day races of spring, with countless climbs and narrow roads that should make the day full of pathos and really tense. We have a strong team and we hope to get a good result at the end of the day» said Soudal Quick-Step sports director Dries Devenyns.