Cycling news - Belgium’s teen sensation Remco Evenepoel says ‘Don’t call me the next Eddy Merckx’

The 18-year-old Evenepoel dominated Tuesday’s men’s junior Time Trial at the World Championships, winning by over a minute and celebrating even before he crossed the line.

And the victory only added to the hype around a youngster who will turn pro with Quick-Step Floors in the new season.

Evenepoel’s aggressive style and penchant for long-range solo attacks in road races evokes memories of the legendary Belgian cyclist Merckx, who won the Tour de France five times but became embroiled in doping scandals throughout his career.

And the youngster has distanced himself from the comparisons.

"Being described as the new Merckx is not something I want to hear," Evenepoel said. “Everything is different now and every rider is different, so I don't want to be called the new Merckx. I'm the new me.”

Evenepoel only took up cycling in 2017 following a promising youth career in football with Anderlecht and PSV Eindhoven. But the move appears to be paying off, with the youngster winning 34 of the 44 races he has competed in.

"When I stopped playing soccer I knew I wanted to do cycling. I think it was the right choice," he said. "It was really difficult at first and I had lots of muscle problems because the two sports are so different, but I'm happy to be a cyclist. It's beautiful when you win. After Friday's road race I'll be a professional, but that's cool. I'm happy to make my hobby my job. Cycling will still be my hobby, it'll only be a little more serious.

"I know stepping up from junior level to the pros is a big step, so I won't race a lot, maybe just some short races and stage races like Colombia Oro y Paz, where the stage distances are shorter. I'll also do a lot of training at altitude and for the time trial to help me develop for the Grand Tours. They're the eventual big goals of my career."

Evenepoel had been overwhelming favourite to win Tuesday’s Time Trial, but says that it is unfair to suggest that it was ‘easy’ for him to become World Champion.

"People said it'd be easy for me to win the World Championships, but I know I have to work hard for every race and every win,” He said. “I also know that a simple puncture can mean my race would be over, so I made sure I pushed the pressure aside and focused on my job.

"I've worked hard to be at my very best this week, so it's nice its worked out. But I'm not obsessed about success or cycling. I'm happy and I have joy in my life. I don't live like a pro or a crazy guy. I eat fries and chocolate; I enjoy life. I worked hard for a month but that's because I wanted this win."