Remco Evenepoel rewarded for the fourth time, the third in a row
Evenepoel, 24, won with 984 points ahead of his Soudal Quick-Step teammate Tim Merlier, 2nd with 530 points. Jasper Philipsen is 3rd with 460 points ahead of Wout van Aert, winner in 2020 and 2021, 4th with 332 points. Thibau Nys completes the top 5 with 274 points.
Brabançon added nine victories to his record this season, bringing his total to 59, including the double road race and chrono during the Paris Olympic Games. He also renewed his time trial world champion title. Evenepoel began his season with a victory in the Figueira Champions Classic before winning a stage and the general classification of the Tour of the Algarve.
After stage victories at Paris-Nice, where he finished 2nd overall, and the Critérium du Dauphiné, the double Olympic champion then participated in his first Tour de France despite preparation disrupted by a heavy fall on the Tour du Basque Country. Winner of the time trial of the 7th stage, he finished in 3rd place in the general classification behind Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard while winning the white jersey for the best young person. He ended his year 2024 on Saturday with a 2nd place in the Tour of Lombardy, the last Monument of the season, behind Pogacar.
Lotte Kopecky crowned for the fifth consecutive year in the women’s category
Kopecky, 28, received 1,002 points to beat Justine Ghekiere, 2nd with 788 points, and Sanne Cant, 3rd with 264 points. Margot Vanpachtenbeke, 4th with 208 points, and Marthe Truyen, 5th with 140 points, complete the top 5.
In 2024, Kopecky continued the momentum of his 2023 season by achieving 16 successes. The Antwerp rider started with a stage victory and the general classification of the Tour of the United Arab Emirates before moving on to the Strade Bianche and the Nokere Koerse. The SD Worx-Protime rider then added her name to the Paris-Roubaix winners list.
After two stage victories and the general classification of the Tour of Great Britain, Kopecky won the titles of Belgian champion in the road race and the time trial then a stage of the Tour of Italy before gleaning the bronze medal of the road race of the Paris Olympic Games. The Rumst native ended the year with a cannonball by winning the Tour de Romandie then claiming the title of European time trial champion in Limburg. A little over two weeks later, she renewed her world champion title before ending her road season with a stage victory and the general classification of the Simac Ladies Tour last Sunday.
On the track, Kopecky won gold in the points race and elimination and silver in the madison at the Euro and finished 4th in the omnium at the Olympics.
Sven Vanthourenhout receives Sports Director of the Year award
Coach of the national road team, Vanthourenhout had a successful year in 2024 with Remco Evenepoel’s two gold medals in the road race and the time trial, where Wout van Aert also won the medal of bronze, from the Paris Olympic Games. Evenepoel also renewed his world title in the time trial and finished 5th in the road race.
During the European Championships organized in Limburg, Belgium won the gold medal in the road race thanks to Tim Merlier and the bronze medal in the mixed team relay.
At the beginning of September, the Belgian cycling federation announced the end of its collaboration with Vanthourenhout, in office since 2021. He won a total of 16 medals: four at the Olympic Games, six at the Worlds and six at the European Championships.
Vanthourenhout collected 730 points to beat Christoph and Philip Roodhooft, second with 520 points, and Klaas Lodewyck, 3rd with 332 points.
Jarno Widar and Fleur Moors elected hopefuls of the year
Jarno Widar, among the men, and Fleur Moors, among the women, were elected hopefuls of the year at the Vélo de Cristal gala, a trophy rewarding the best Belgian cyclist of the season and organized by the daily Het Laatste Nieuws, organized on Tuesday in Kruisem.
Widar, 18, particularly distinguished himself in the second part of the season by becoming the first Belgian to win the Tour of Italy for under-23s, three weeks after winning the Alpes Isère Tour. The Limburger went on to win the Tour du Val d’Aosta, a renowned race on the U23 circuit. He also finished 7th in the U23 road race at the Worlds.
Widar received 840 points and is ahead of Jasper Schoofs, 2nd with 398 points, and Robin Orins, 3rd with 278 points.
Moors, 19, made his professional debut this season in the Lidl-Trek jersey, winning several places of honor notably on À Travers le Westhoek (6th), À Travers le Hageland (8th) or even the anti-la watch (6th) and the road race of the Belgian championships (4th).
The Limburger obtained 612 points to beat Lore De Schepper, 2nd with 470 points, and Julie De Wilde and Febe Jooris who share 3rd place with 338 points.
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