Wellens: "Evenepoel flattered me"

Tim Wellens had already confirmed in recent days that he would not be available for Belgium at the World Championships , but the excellent form he showed at the Tour of Britain has inevitably reopened the debate about his absence.

The 35-year-old Belgian won the British stage race this weekend, proving that his decision wasn't due to insufficient physical condition. On Saturday, Wellens attacked with 42 kilometers to go , eventually finishing second behind Cees Bol. The following day, he and the UAE team took control of the final stage, launching an aggressive team effort that completely changed the race.

A strategy that allowed him to secure the final victory and that rekindled the pressure in Belgium for coach Serge Pauwels to try to convince him to change his mind.

Wellens himself, however, explained that Pauwels was not the person who came closest to making him change his mind .

"I have to be honest: for a moment I had doubts," Wellens told Het Nieuwsblad. "Not because of Serge, but because of some messages I received from Remco.

"From those messages, it was clear how much Remco would have wanted me with him at the World Championships. It was gratifying for me, but I stand by my decision."

After the Tour de France, Wellens said he could barely generate 150 watts during training. Medical tests revealed no specific problems, and the Belgian eventually attributed his difficulties to accumulated fatigue after facing the final week of the race while feeling unwell.

In agreement with the UAE, he had therefore decided to skip the Renewi Tour and instead focus on a training period. A decision that, in hindsight, seems to have paid off. Wellens progressively improved his condition during the Tour of Britain, eventually taking the overall classification.

A turning point that inevitably raised the question: with his newfound form, could he also reconsider the World Cup?

The answer, however, is no. Even though his condition has returned to the desired level, Wellens has no intention of changing his plans. What makes the difference is above all his commitment to the UAE.

"I realize that racing for the national team is an honor and a privilege," he explained. "But I've already given my word to the UAE.

"I'll be racing the final races of the season with the team, and these competitions overlap with the World Championships. This year, the team has had to deal with a lot of injuries, and there aren't enough riders available, so I decided to lend a hand."

Belgium will therefore have to do without one of its most experienced and versatile riders in Montreal, a valuable support man capable of adapting to different race scenarios.

It may also be that Remco's attempt was also for strategic reasons, given that he and Wout Van Aert will be Belgium's captains in Canada.

Given Pogacar's absence , the Belgian national team will be the strongest team on paper, but having two strong captains could lead to the team being split in two at key moments in the race; therefore, Evenepoel would need men like Wellens, perhaps willing to support him .

Wellens's absence isn't the only one. Florian Vermeersch (UAE Team Emirates-XRG) and Ilan Van Wilder (Soudal Quick-Step) have also reportedly communicated their unavailability to the Belgian national team.

Wellens' decision to confirm his withdrawal from Montreal thus fits into a broader debate in Belgium over the growing number of riders opting out of World Championships. This issue was also addressed critically by Patrick Lefevere, former Soudal-Quick-Step executive , in his regular weekend column.

“Runners used to sit by the phone with their fingers crossed,” Lefevere wrote in Het Nieuwsblad.

«Being called up for the World Cup meant something».

Lefevere specifically mentioned Tim Wellens, Florian Vermeersch, Victor Campenaerts, Cian Uijtdebroeks and Ilan Van Wilder, adding: “Honestly, I just can’t understand why.”

The former manager made an exception for those riders who choose to resign from the national team out of loyalty to their team leader. He particularly recalled the case of Dries Devenyns, who previously refused a call-up to the Belgian national team rather than find himself racing against Julian Alaphilippe.

More generally, however, Lefevere questioned how much the value attributed to a World Cup call-up has changed.

"I don't understand riders who voluntarily choose not to participate in a World Championship," he wrote, acknowledging, however, that today national teams are built primarily around tactical roles, and not simply by selecting the strongest riders.

For Wellens, however, the matter is now closed. Not even Evenepoel's words, which made it clear how much he would have liked to have him by his side in Montreal, were enough to change his mind.

Photo: Sprint Cycling Agency