Remco Evenepoel made his return to the peloton by joining his Soudal-QuickStep teammates for the reconnaissance of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad , as he continues his recovery from a serious accident with a postal van, which left him with a complex shoulder injury.

The Belgian star arrived in Kruisem in West Flanders, where he was warmly welcomed by his teammates on the team bus. He then rode with them through the key cobblestone sectors and Flemish climbs east of Oudenaarde, sporting his golden bike and helmet in homage to his double Olympic gold medal in Paris last year.

Gradual return to the Tour

Evenepoel, who appeared in good spirits but was sparing with words, reassured about his condition: ' I have a lot of desire, even if I can't do much at the moment. But everything is fine, there will be updates soon .' The Belgian champion is recovering from multiple fractures to his ribs, hand and scapula, in addition to a dislocated collarbone that caused damage to the nerves in his shoulder.

After a six-week total stop, he resumed indoor training in mid-January and finally returned to the road on February 2. His seasonal debut is scheduled for April 10 in Brabant, two months later than his rivals. His main goal for 2025 remains the Tour de France, where last year he finished third behind Pogačar and Vingegaard.

Last week he completed a 136km ride in Belgium and today he happily joined his teammates on the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad route, planning to cycle back from Nineveh to his home in Schepdaal, west of Brussels. A clear sign that his condition is improving steadily .