Belgium has more than just evenepoel: These riders could completely change the World Championship road race

Belgium arrives in Montréal with one of the strongest teams at the 2026 World Championships, but its biggest advantage may also be its biggest tactical challenge. Like analysing different sister sites in a wider network, understanding Belgium's strength requires looking beyond the biggest names and seeing how every rider fits into the bigger structure. With Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert leading the team, the question is not whether Belgium has enough quality, but how it uses that quality on a demanding circuit where one decision can decide the rainbow jersey.

The Montréal course is perfectly suited to a team with multiple options. The repeated climbs, long distance, and unpredictable final kilometres mean Belgium does not need to control the race from the front. Instead, it can force rivals into difficult choices by creating several possible winners inside the same team.

Belgium's main storyline is obvious. Evenepoel and Van Aert are both realistic contenders, but they represent two very different paths to victory.

Evenepoel's advantage is his ability to turn a difficult race into a solo challenge. Montréal rewards riders who can attack after repeated climbs, and his combination of climbing power and time-trial strength makes him dangerous if he reaches the final stages with a gap.

The ideal scenario for Evenepoel is a race where fatigue has already reduced the group. If the strongest riders arrive together after a brutal final lap, he has the ability to create separation with one decisive acceleration.

Van Aert brings a different weapon. His strength is not only his sprint but his ability to survive extremely hard races and still produce speed at the finish. A small group arriving together creates a completely different tactical situation because rivals cannot allow Van Aert too much freedom.

That is what makes Belgium difficult to race against. If Evenepoel attacks, teams must react. If Van Aert remains in the group, they face a dangerous sprint.

While Evenepoel and Van Aert will attract most of the attention, Belgium's supporting riders could determine how the race develops.

Tiesj Benoot is one of the most important pieces of the puzzle. His experience in long Classics races makes him perfectly suited to Montréal's demands. He understands positioning, knows how to read attacks, and has the endurance to remain involved deep into the race.

Benoot's role could be especially valuable before the final selection.

A move from Benoot creates a difficult situation for rival teams. Chasing him immediately could waste energy and bring Evenepoel and Van Aert closer to the perfect scenario. Ignoring him could allow a dangerous rider to gain valuable time.

This is the advantage of having depth: Belgium can influence the race even when its biggest names are not attacking.

Thibau Nys gives Belgium another option because his strengths are slightly different from those of the team's main leaders.

The Montréal circuit is not only about climbing. It is about repeated accelerations, technical positioning and the ability to respond when the race suddenly changes pace.

Nys has built his reputation on explosive efforts and aggressive racing. He can be valuable in the middle stages of the race by following important moves or creating uncertainty among rival teams.

For Belgium, having riders with different profiles matters. A race that becomes predictable helps opponents. A race that constantly changes gives Belgium more opportunities.

Maxim Van Gils may be one of Belgium's most dangerous tactical weapons because he does not carry the same level of attention as Evenepoel and Van Aert.

Van Gils has the ability to attack from a reduced group and make rivals hesitate. If he moves away, other teams face a difficult decision: chase immediately or wait and risk losing the race.

That freedom can become extremely valuable in a World Championship.

The strongest national teams often win not because they have one unbeatable rider, but because they create situations where opponents cannot cover every possibility.

The riders who support the leaders are often forgotten, but World Championship success depends heavily on these roles.

Gianni Vermeersch brings experience from demanding one-day races and understands how to position himself during chaotic moments.

Quinten Hermans adds another strong option on selective terrain. He can support the leaders deep into the race while also remaining capable of taking responsibility if the situation changes.

A team cannot rely only on its biggest stars. It needs riders who can protect them, close dangerous moves, and keep options open until the decisive moments.

The biggest tactical decision is timing.

Belgium could choose to make the race difficult early by sending riders such as Benoot, Van Gils, or Vermeersch into moves. This would force rivals to spend energy before the final laps.

Another option is patience. Belgium could keep Evenepoel and Van Aert protected and wait for Mount Royal to decide the race.

The most dangerous strategy, however, may be using multiple attacks.

If Evenepoel attacks, Van Aert remains a threat behind him. If Van Aert moves, Evenepoel creates another problem for rivals. Few teams can create that type of dilemma.

The challenge is communication. World Championships are raced without team radios, meaning agreements before the race become extremely important. Belgian coach Serge Pauwels has highlighted the need for clear roles between the two leaders because decisions cannot be adjusted instantly during the race.

Belgium's Montréal strategy will not be built around protecting one rider until the final kilometre. It will be built around creating opportunities.

Evenepoel offers the long attack. Van Aert offers the reduced-group finish. Benoot can shape the race before the finale. Van Gils and Nys provide attacking options. Vermeersch and Hermans give the team stability.

That combination makes Belgium dangerous.

The biggest question is not whether Belgium has a rider capable of winning the rainbow jersey. It clearly does. The question is whether the team can use all of its strengths at exactly the right moment.

In Montréal, the winning move may not come from the rider everyone expects. It may come from the rider Belgium sends forward when every other team is focused on stopping Evenepoel and Van Aert.