Evenepoel & Meesseman: Belgian Sports Stars of the Year

The 25-year-old Evenepoel only competed for the first time in mid-April after his collision with a Bpost van, in which he suffered a number of fractures. He promptly won the Brabantse Pijl. Two days later he narrowly missed out on victory in the Amstel Gold Race, but he could not quite live up to the high expectations in the Walloon classics and the Tour. Yet 2025 still had a golden touch for the man from Schepdaal. He remained untouchable against the clock at both the World Cup in Rwanda and the European Championships in the Ardèche and Dôme. In the road races he was ‘the best of the rest’ in both championships, just like in the Tour of Lombardy, after the Slovenian glutton Tadej Pogacar. Evenepoel ultimately won eight times this year, including six time trials.

In 2026, the Flemish Brabander will start a new chapter at the German Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. His main goal is once again the Tour, in which he already finished third in 2023. In the spring, Evenepoel will focus on the Amstel Gold Race and Liège-Bastogne-Liège, in which he is aiming for a third victory. On January 29, he will open with his new team with the team time trial of the Challenge Mallorca.

It is the fourth time in a row for Evenepoel to receive the Sportman trophy. In 2019 he was on the honors list for the first time.

In the election of Sportspress.be, the organization of sports journalists, Evenepoel wins with 622 points, ahead of athlete Isaac Kimeli (308 points), who won silver in the 5,000 meters at the World Cup and was awarded the Flemish Sports Jewel this week, and basketball player Ajay Mitchell (272 points), who became NBA champion with Oklahoma City.

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Meesseman Sportswoman of the Year

The 32-year-old Meesseman led the Belgian basketball women to a second consecutive European title last summer. Afterwards, the West Flemish was named Player of the tournament. Led by American coach Mike Thibault, the Cats extended their 2023 title in June by beating Spain in the final in Piraeus, Greece.

Meesseman also shone again this year in club context. The player of the Turkish Fenerbahçe was crowned MVP of the prestigious Euroleague for the third consecutive time in April. Because her club did not want to release her, Meesseman was unable to attend the gala on Sunday. She did express her gratitude in a video message. It was her mother who came to collect the prize.

In October, Meesseman was also the first basketball player to receive the National Trophy for Sports Merit.

On the Sportswoman honors list, Meesseman is the successor to athlete Nafissatou Thiam, who won for the fifth time last year.

Meesseman received 702 points in the referendum by sportspress.be, the organization of sports journalists. She beat swimmer Roos Vanotterdijk (476 points), who was named Promise of the Year earlier in the evening, and short track star Hanne Desmet (234 points). She won her first world title in the 1,000 meters at the World Championships in Beijing. Vanotterdijk was the first Belgian to win two medals at a World Championship (long track) in Singapore, with silver in the 100m butterfly and bronze in the 50m butterfly.

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