Wout van Aert Dismisses Fears of Rift with Remco Evenepoel in Belgium’s World Championship Squad

Serge Pauwels Finalizes the Belgian Squad for Montréal

The approach relies on an intentional division of roles designed to maximize the team’s depth across a challenging Montréal parcours.

Reacting to the announcement from the Vuelta, Van Aert expressed total confidence in the selection.

Addressing Trade Team Rivalries and National Unity

Because Van Aert and Evenepoel compete for opposing professional trade teams during the European calendar, pre-race commentary often centers on potential divided loyalties. Van Aert rejected that narrative outright, emphasizing that team affiliations dissolve the moment a rider pulls on the Belgian national jersey.

“It doesn’t matter who rides for which team. You ride with a Belgian jersey, and I expect just as much support from Gianni Vermeersch and Maxim van Gils as from all the others.”

That sentiment is echoed within the wider squad. Gianni Vermeersch, who shares a trade team connection with Evenepoel, noted that his personal allegiance on race day belongs entirely to the national cause. “I hope I can help one of the leaders to the world title,” Vermeersch said, according to Europesays.com. “There are two leaders, so I can work for both, as long as a Belgian wins.”

Tactical Execution on Race Day

Rather than establishing rigid pre-race orders that could handcuff the squad, the Belgian setup hinges on live race dynamics.

Vermeersch explained that the tactical execution will depend heavily on which rider finds himself in the most advantageous position as the race unfolds. “It will depend a bit on which of the two finds themselves in a potentially winning position, and then it simply becomes our job to do our duty as a Belgian and not as a team rider,” Vermeersch told reporters.

Broader Squad Context and Next Steps

The announcement also prompted reactions from other riders in the broader selection conversation. Tim Wellens addressed questions regarding his own absence and squad dynamics in comments reported by HLN, reinforcing the collective consensus that the roster operates with a single unified objective. With the selection finalized and training preparations underway, the Belgian team’s next major checkpoint is the official pre-race gathering and reconnaissance sessions ahead of the start in Montréal.