Belgium returned from the World Championships in Canada with five medals and Remco Evenepoel's gold in the time trial, but this was not the result the national team had hoped for. Montreal is now a closed chapter; Remco claimed his fourth consecutive gold medal (no one else has achieved this) in the race against the clock, proving he is unbeatable, but he also admitted he was not in the right condition to fight for the double world title. Everything might seem forgotten, but the frustration over the missed result has certainly not dissipated. Now the calendar offers an immediate chance for redemption: the European Championships, where the Belgian wants to win at all costs to erase, at least in part, the disappointment of the road race.

On Sunday in Montreal, Remco never found the legs needed to stay with the best and finished with a twelfth place that left a bitter taste. Not, however, to the point of overshadowing his performances in the preceding weeks: his victory in the Quebec GP and especially his success in the world time trial remind us that it was simply a bad day, not the end of a champion. Back in Brussels on Tuesday morning, Evenepoel dedicated the next 48 hours to active recovery before departing for Slovenia. He arrived in Ljubljana today. Along with him, Maxim Van Gils and Quinten Hermans also chose to stay in Belgium one day longer than their national teammates and will depart for Slovenia today rather than Thursday evening as previously planned.

This choice could create some problems for the course reconnaissance, although the same difficulty affects other riders, since an entire day of racing is already scheduled for today: they will likely only be able to scout the course tomorrow between the junior and elite races.

Despite everything, Evenepoel remains the favorite for the white jersey with stars. There are at least four concrete reasons. First of all, he has a strong character that allows him to bounce back after every difficulty. In Montreal he didn't hold back; he forced his comebacks, suffered and continued to fight for his team. An attitude that has repeatedly allowed him to transform disappointments into triumphs: the memory of the 2023 Vuelta when, after a disastrous day, he returned to win the next day. In his favor is also the absence of top-tier rivals like Pogacar. In Evenepoel's palmares, the European road title is still missing, with only the silver medals from Trento 2021 (beaten by Colbrelli) and Ardèche 2025 (behind Pogacar), and this adds further motivation. Looking at the autumn calendar, for the Belgian there are other opportunities to make amends: Tre Valli Varesine on October 6, Giro di Lombardia on October 10, and Chrono des Nations on October 18. It's an end to the season yet to be written.

The European Championships course, however, is not a walkover. At 196.3 km with 2,571 meters of elevation gain, it will be shorter and less grueling than the 273 km and 3,800 meters faced in Montreal, but it remains selective. After an initial flat section immediately after the start from Ljubljana, riders will face five laps of a 22.1 km circuit around Sencur that will form the heart of the race. The Mozjanca climb - 2.1 km at 10.2% average gradient with peaks at 16% - could suit light and explosive climbers: a detail not to be overlooked for Evenepoel. The top of the climb is located about 14 km from the finish: the technical descent and the fast section toward the line keep many options open. Remco could continue solo, try to open a manageable gap, or come back after an opponent's attack. In practice, gaining meters on Mozjanca won't necessarily be enough to stop his comeback.

In the field of starters, only six of the top twenty finishers at the Worlds have announced their presence: among these, Mads Pedersen, Giulio Ciccone, Juan Ayuso, Christian Scaroni, and Mikkel Honoré. Notable names like Pogacar, Vingegaard, Van Aert, Seixas, and Van der Poel will be absent. The British (Pidcock, Onley) and Norwegians are also absent, as their federations chose not to participate. Dangerous riders remain like Primoz Roglic, who is racing at home, France with Romain Gregoire, Kevin Vauquelin and Alex Baudin, plus Swiss Jan Christen and German Marco Brenner, but the participation increases Belgium's chances.

This time the team will race with only one declared leader: Evenepoel. The squad chosen by coach Pauwels will be made up of Van Gils, Van Wilder, Hermans, Vervaeke, Berckmoes, Debruyne, and De Pestel and is built around a single objective. Van Gils and Van Wilder can escort Evenepoel on the climbs; Vervaeke knows Remco's pace; Hermans brings experience and tactical sense; Berckmoes is an offensive card; Debruyne and De Pestel complete the circle by protecting the leader. Options and support are not lacking, but, as always, Evenepoel's legs will make the difference.

If Remco has already shown the character to be able to turn around bad days, the course and the team give him the opportunity. It remains to be seen whether the recovered sleep, regained condition, and tactical strategy will be enough to transform the bitterness of Montreal into a European jersey that still eludes him. At stake is not just a race: there is the possibility of giving a different face to the end of the season.