Remco Evenepoel secured his second gold medal at Paris 2024 with an impressive solo victory in the men’s road race, just a week after winning the men’s time trial title, despite enduring a dramatic puncture close to the race’s conclusion.
With this triumph, Evenepoel became the first male athlete to clinch gold in both disciplines at the same Olympics. He later recounted the tense moment, just 3.8 km from the finish, when he required a swift bike change.
“It was quite a stressful moment,” he stated. “Just a kilometre earlier, the race motorbike beside me indicated that I had a 25-second lead.” Ultimately, with a new bike and assistance from a mechanic, the incident was brief, allowing him to ride smoothly to the finish.
“This is the Olympics closest to my home,” noted Evenepoel, the 2023 world time trial champion from Belgium. “Sharing this moment with fellow Belgians, friends, and family is very special. Winning two golds simultaneously is something I never imagined.”
Ninety competitors began the race at the Trocadéro, crossing the Seine and turning left under the Eiffel Tower to embark on the longest Olympic road race ever, which featured the smallest-ever Olympic peloton.
The 273 km course was a breathtaking display of the cultural beauty west of Paris. However, the racing only truly intensified as they entered the finishing circuit on the streets of Montmartre.
Fans fill the streets of Montmartre to witness the men’s road race finale. Photograph: Tom Jenkins/The Observer
For 35 of the racers, including Evenepoel and British time trial champion Josh Tarling, this was the longest race they had ever participated in. Predictably, the early moves came from the less-favored nations, leading to a five-rider breakaway forming quickly.
With smaller teams and the absence of race radios spanning the lengthy distance, the spontaneous tactics of such a limited peloton became apparent as the early breakaway passed through Versailles, gradually extending their lead to nearly 15 minutes.
Among the big names, Evenepoel was the first to assert himself, breaking away on the Côte de Bièvres and again at the summit of the Côte du Pavé des Gardes, following the feeding zone. It was a hint of the action to come.
Ahead of Evenepoel, Ireland’s Ben Healy collaborated with compatriot Ryan Mullen, and then Kazakhstan’s Alexey Lutsenko. Nevertheless, they could not establish a considerable gap to the peloton.
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The critical moment arrived 38 km before the finish when Evenepoel, having weathered the initial assaults on the Montmartre circuit, surged through the pack, overtaking Healy and advancing ahead. Only France’s Valentin Madouas managed to keep pace, but he eventually succumbed on the final ascent of the Butte Monmartre as the 24-year-old Belgian surged ahead alone.
Aside from that moment of tension near the Eiffel Tower, the race belonged to Evenepoel. He later confessed that he even envisioned how his celebratory pose would appear on Instagram. He now boasts two Olympic gold medals, as well as the world road race and time trial titles, victory in the Vuelta a España, and a third-place finish in his Tour de France debut.
Evenepoel expressed his fatigue with the continuous comparisons to fellow Belgian cycling legend Eddy Merckx. “Eddy raced in the past, and I race now,” he remarked. “These are different times, and competition isn’t possible. It’s my career, and I’m pursuing it my own way.”
Remco Evenepoel crosses the finish line with the Eiffel Tower in the background after overcoming a late puncture. Photograph: David Levene/The Observer
While Evenepoel reveled in his glory, Tom Pidcock, who aimed to build on his Olympic gold from last Monday in mountain biking, finished in 13th place, citing feelings of being “frazzled.” “I was just incredibly mentally drained,” expressed the Team GB competitor, “because of the Olympics — along with everything else happening.”
“Everything else” referred to the ongoing speculation about his potential departure from his current team, Ineos Grenadiers, while competing in Paris. When asked about these rumors, Pidcock responded, “That’s why I’m mentally frazzled,” and then wrapped up the interview.
The uncertainties surrounding the future of the Ineos Grenadiers team, where Pidcock is contracted until 2027, have sparked a slight exodus of talent in recent weeks.
Having withdrawn from July’s Tour de France due to Covid, Pidcock is believed to have several interested teams, with his most probable destination being World Tour team Bora Hansgrohe. The German squad is 51% owned by Red Bull, who already sponsor him and back his aspirations for dual competition in mountain biking and road racing.
Pidcock’s victory last Monday was one of the highlights of his career, yet he noted that “competing in two events is a greater burden than it seems.”
“Coming from the mountain biking event, I wanted to avoid any pressure for this race. I communicated that I would engage in discussions, but my priority was the mountain biking. Honestly, my goals were just to participate and if a medal came my way, that would be incredible.
“It was vital for me to finish strongly,” he remarked. “Securing a hard-fought 13th place is commendable, but I aimed to conclude to the best of my ability.”
