Brussels (AFP)
Belgian cyclist Remco Evenepoel, one of the favourites to win the gold medal in the cycling time trial at the Paris Olympics, has criticised the presence of many potholes on the roads of the French capital, the venue for the competition.
“The first five and last kilometres are not the best roads, unfortunately!” Evenepoel, who finished third in the last edition of the Tour de France, told RTBF television after his pre-race tests.
“There are a lot of holes in the asphalt, so it’s not great for a time trial rider,” the 24-year-old continued.
“Other than that, it’s very fast, the corners are fast too, which is what I like,” he added.
The 32.4-kilometre route starts at Invalides, passes through the Bastille and Vincennes Castle before finishing at the stunning Pont Alexandre that spans the River Seine.
Evenepoel is entering the Olympics after his successful debut in the Tour de France, having become the first Belgian to win the world time trial title in Scotland last August.
The Belgian will compete for gold with the young Briton Josh Tarling (20 years old) and the Italian Filippo Ganna (28 years old), who has great experience and was crowned world champion in time trial races in 2020 and 2021.
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