The time trial world champion has a very particular diet.
Remco Evenepoel will compete in his very first Tour de France in 2024. After several successes abroad and notably in the Vuelta, the Belgian is now tackling France and the Grande Boucle. If the course should be much too complicated to win it, especially with Pogacar and Vingegaard in the peloton, the Belgian is aiming for a podium and victories in the time trials.
The Soudal Quick Step rider has been a real UFO for several years, stringing together prestigious successes such as Liège-Bastogne-Liège in 2022, 2023, the San Sebastian Classic three times, the Vuelta in 2022, the world road and time trial championships as well as all his stage victories in grand tours (two in the Giro and five in Spain).
But how does the Belgian achieve such performances? Obviously, with training, but also a very special diet that will make nutritionists jump. In a video published on his YouTube channel, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal Quick-Step) lifted the veil on his daily life during the days of competition, and in particular the last hours before the start.
“I eat pistolekes (Belgian brioche specialty) with jam, a banana, a little honey, half a liter of Fanta and a few slices of chicken”, explained the Belgian who claims to have been doing this same ritual since he was young. “It seems like a good meal to prepare for a time trial because since I’ve been eating this, I almost never miss the podium. That’s why I always eat my pistolekes,” he adds.
Let’s hope for the Belgian that this diet has the best effects on his first Grande Boucle, which he approaches with humility. “Racing the Tour de France is the dream of every child who falls in love with cycling. It’s a moment I’ve dreamed of since my first laps of the wheel and I’m very excited to take the start for the first time with this great team. Of course, I hope to have a good Tour and have nice results, but let’s not forget that these are my debut in this race which is as beautiful as it is difficult.”