Belgian cycling team faces criticism after World Championship disappointment

The Belgian cycling team faced intense criticism following a disappointing performance at the World Championships in Montréal. While Remco Evenepoel secured his fourth consecutive world time trial title, he failed to compete for the road race title, finishing 12th. Similarly, Wout van Aert was unable to contend for medals in the road race.

Analysts and former riders have raised questions regarding the team's collective lack of form. Jan Bakelants called for an investigation into the team's preparation, noting it was “unexplainable” that the entire selection performed so poorly. Some experts, including Philippe Gilbert and Johan Vansummeren, suggested that the heavy physical toll of the Vuelta a España may have prevented Van Aert from being fresh enough for the World Championships.

Despite the setbacks, the focus shifts toward the upcoming European Championships in Slovenia, where Evenepoel faces significant pressure to deliver a gold medal.