PARIS (Reuters) – Remco Evenepoel’s proper preparations for the Olympics started last Sunday at 4:30am – when he went to bed after partying all night.
The Belgian had just finished third overall in the Tour de France in Nice but he recovered just in time to claim the gold medal in the men’s time trial at the Paris Games on Saturday.
“Sunday night I partied until 4 and then I went to bed at 4:30,” the 24-year-old said, almost causing his compatriot Wout van Aert, who finished third on Saturday, to choke on the pasta he was eating at the press conference.
“The day after I had a long night of sleep and I started to feel fresh only yesterday morning. Last week I was not expecting to get such a result but when I saw how I felt yesterday and this morning, it was a confidence boost.”
Evenepoel, the reigning time trial world champion, got off to a fast start and never looked in trouble, although he only felt the title was in the bag in the finale.
“I knew I was ahead but it was not super clear, only in the last km it was clear it was going to be enough,” he said.
Evenepoel, who insists partying is not his lifestyle, will celebrate on Saturday with Van Aert before both prepare for next Saturday’s road race with the Belgian team.
“Then we can have another party, I hope,” he said.
Evenepoel had complained about the condition of the roads in Paris before the event, using an expletive to describe the first five kilometres.
“It’s true it was not very pleasant but it doesn’t matter, I won so I don’t care anymore,” he said.
(Reporting by Julien Pretot; Editing by Toby Davis)
