Evenepoel wins on return from serious injury

Double Olympic champion Remco Evenepoel won connected his return to action aft suffering aggregate bony fractures successful a superior clang past year.

Four months aft sustaining rib, enarthrosis leaf and manus fractures during nan mishap successful training, nan Belgian outsprinted compatriot Wout van Aert to triumph nan Brabantse Pijl, held connected nan roads successful nan area he grew up in.

The 25-year-old besides suffered lung contusions, a dislocated correct clavicle and respective torn ligaments aft colliding pinch nan unfastened doorway of a postal vehicle.

Speaking connected Thursday earlier nan race, Evenepoel said his injuries "would person ended my profession if I had been a tennis aliases hoops player".

The Soudal-Quick Step rider and Visma-Lease A Bike's Van Aert attacked pinch conscionable nether a 3rd of nan title to go, and were soon joined by 22-year-old British rider Joe Blackmore.

Israel-Premier Tech rider Blackmore was dropped arsenic Evenpoel attacked connected nan penultimate climb, while Portugal's Antonio Morgado won nan bunch sprint to return third.

"I'm astonishing myself. I was very fresh," said Evenepoel. "I'm particularly satisfied pinch my sprint. Lately, I've been moving a batch connected my explosiveness, and it paid off."

It is Evenepoel's first triumph since securing nan 2nd of his world clip proceedings titles astatine nan World Championships successful Zurich successful September 2024.

The Belgian hopes to compete successful nan 3 Ardennes classics and nan Tour de Romandie successful mentation for this year's Tour de France.

Evenepoel won golden successful nan Olympic clip way and the roadworthy race astatine nan Paris Games past summer.

He besides vanished 3rd wide successful nan Tour de France, winning nan stage-seven individual clip trial.