The Belgian national road cycling championships will be missing two of the most anticipated protagonists. Remco Evenepoel (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe) and Wout van Aert (Team Visma-Lease a Bike) will not be at the start of the road race scheduled for today in Antwerp. Their names have been officially removed from the entry list, leaving the race without two of the most representative champions of Belgian cycling.

Evenepoel, national champion in 2023, has chosen to focus all his energy on the imminent Tour de France, which will start in just a few days. The Olympic and world champion believes his preparation is complete and does not want to take unnecessary risks before the most important appointment of the season.

Forced absence instead for Wout van Aert, winner of the national title in 2021. The Visma-Lease a Bike rider has not yet fully recovered from the elbow injury sustained during a fall with his time trial bike during training. A problem that will force him to also miss the Tour de France.

Still on the starting list is the reigning Belgian champion Tim Wellens (UAE Team Emirates-XRG). After finishing second in the tricolor time trial held on Friday in Maarkedal, the Limburgian rider had explained that he was still undecided about participating in the road race, with the aim of avoiding any risk ahead of the Grande Boucle. Wellens will be able to decide even at the last moment whether or not to take the start.

The list of withdrawals is particularly long. Also absent from Antwerp will be Junior Lecerf and Laurenz Rex (Soudal Quick-Step), Sente Sentjens and Gerben Thijssen (Alpecin-Premier Tech), Maxim Van Gils (Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe), Timo Kielich (Team Visma-Lease a Bike), Cian Uijtdebroeks (Movistar), Robbe Dhondt (Team Picnic-PostNL), Arjen Livyns (XDS Astana), Siebe Deweirdt (Team Flanders-Baloise), Sylvain Moniquet (Cofidis), Frederik Frison (Q36.5), Quinten De Graeve (Team Novo Nordisk), Jelle Harteel, Yorben Lauryssen and Arne Santy (Tarteletto-Isorex), Siebe Roesems (Alpecin Development Team), Vince Gerits (Baloise Verzekeringen-Het Poetsbureau), Foeke Dubois (Benediction Banafrica Team) and Senne Hulsmans (VolkerWessels).

Despite the numerous withdrawals, the field will still be highly competitive with 171 riders from all provinces of Belgium. Participation in the National Championships is mandatory for all Belgian professionals, except for justifications related to physical problems or particular competitive needs.

Among the most represented teams stands out Soudal Quick-Step, which will field fifteen riders, led by European champion Tim Merlier alongside Yves Lampaert, Ilan Van Wilder, Mauri Vansevenant, Louis Vervaeke, Bert Van Lerberghe, Jasper Stuyven, Fabio Van Den Bossche, Steff Cras, Ayco Bastiaens, Gil Gelders, Dries Van Gestel, Warre Vangheluwe and Jonathan Vervenne.

Alpecin-Premier Tech will respond with a lineup of eleven riders, in which Jasper Philipsen stands out in particular, alongside Jonas Rickaert, Edward Planckaert, Simon Dehairs, Emiel Verstrynge, Lennert Belmans, Lindsay De Vylder, Ramses Debruyne, Aaron Dockx and Jonas Geens.

Among the other most anticipated riders are Oliver Naesen, Sander De Pestel, Stan Dewulf and Robbe Ghys for Decathlon-CMA CGM; Jordi Meeus, Arne Marit and Gianni Vermeersch for Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe; Victor Campenaerts for Visma-Lease a Bike; Thibau Nys, Edward Theuns and Otto Vergaerde for Lidl-Trek; Amaury Capiot, Dries De Bondt and Dries De Pooter for Jayco-AlUla; Alec Segaert and Vlad Van Mechelen for Bahrain Victorious, as well as Tom Van Asbroeck and Floris Van Tricht.

With the absence of Evenepoel and Van Aert, the fight for the tricolor jersey presents itself more open than ever. Much will also depend on the final decision of Tim Wellens, the last major question mark on the eve of one of the most prestigious races on the Belgian calendar.