In Belgium, cycling is a religion, discussed and debated everywhere. And in recent hours, the debate has focused on next Sunday's national championship. It's not the first time we've written about this and the case has come to the fore: Belgian riders have an obligation to participate in the national road championship. The only way to avoid it is by presenting a medical certificate. In case of unjustified absence, an immediate nine-day suspension is imposed.

The controversy was sparked by the newspaper HLN, which reported that Remco Evenepoel will skip the Belgian road championship in Brasschaat. In contrast, UAE Emirates XRG has officially announced its roster, which does not include defending champion Tim Wellens. For both, a tactical choice that makes sense, given that the national title will be decided on a flat circuit that favors sprinters, but there's that regulatory caveat... For both, however, there is at least on paper the risk of missing the Tour because the suspension imposed is 9 days and only six days will be missing before the Tour starts on Sunday. And for the sake of completeness, anyone who fails to respect the suspension imposed by the Belgian Federation will receive an additional fine of 15 euros, 14 days of suspension, and the return of any prize money won.

«There are no exceptions. Participation in the national road championship is mandatory for every professional cyclist, regardless of profile or status. Every rider received an email containing all the information, including the regulations. It is each rider's responsibility to know and respect it», declared Wielerflits sports director of the Federation, Massimo Van Lancker.

What surprises fans and irritates federation officials is the fact that the absences were announced several days in advance, currently without the presentation of a medical certificate which, we can bet, will arrive promptly by Sunday.