“I hear that he is trying to take care of his wife’s family.” That is what VRT sports journalist Ruben van Gucht said on Monday evening in the appointment about Remco Evenepoel. Words that hit the wrong way with the Olympic champion. He responded to social media with a sharp tirade. “Maybe you should be worried about your own family, Ruben?”
Ruben van Gucht was allowed to sit down as a race connoisseur at the agreement to talk about the past price weekend and, during expansion, the strong performance of, among others, Tadej Pogacar in the spring. Then the name of Remco Evenepoel is never far away. After a long rehabilitation, the Olympic champion recently made his return and immediately won the Brabant arrow, but fell a bit through the ice in Liège-Bastogne-Liège on Sunday.
When presenter Bart Schols asks about the role of Islam in the life of Evenepoel, Van Gucht answers the following. “He has not talked much about it yet. The fact is that in the last years of his career he really involves the family of his wife (Oumi Rayane, ed.) In his victories and performance. I also hear that he is trying to take care of that family. Is that necessary or that is not necessary, that is something he should know for himself. I don’t think many colleagues of him do it that way.” Van Gucht suggests that he helps the whole family financially. Afterwards he clarifies that it is “a rumor” that he “catches in the belly of the cycling world”. “Of course you can say tomorrow that these are empty rumors.”
Evenepoel did not wait that long. The rider of Soudal – Quick Step, who is preparing for the Tour of Romandy in Switzerland, immediately posted on Monday evening with a flaming reaction to social media: “I feel obliged to respond to the absurd and disrespectful statements that Ruben van Gucht made about my private life. Hard work and entrepreneurship have built up a wonderful life. “
© Instagram Remco Evenepoel.
Evenepoel also emphasizes that he has always been received with open arms at his in -laws and that they already know each other from far before fame and the money came. “I don’t know where you get your stories, or is it sometimes hard to believe that a Moroccan family has just worked hard and is well -off? That says more about your limited worldview than about reality.”
“Love, respect and hard work have brought us where we are now. Not prejudices, not gossip and certainly not people who call themselves a journalist but prefer to spread nonsense,” it sounds further. Evenepoel ends with a final firm sneer. “Maybe you should be worried about your own family. Because we also hear things.”
Van Gucht is married to former senior -speaker Blanka Vlasic, who lives with their son Mondo in Croatia. Van Gucht’s private life was strongly discussed for a while, after which the VRT face revealed to have an open relationship.
© Belgium
