🎥 Evenepoel hops on the 'Calpe Express', as Van der Poel makes his Belgian companion suffer once again

Mathieu van der Poel has just over two weeks left to prepare for his cyclocross comeback, scheduled for 20 December in Antwerp. The Dutchman from Alpecin-Deceuninck is currently putting the finishing touches on his training at his usual base on Spain’s southern coast, and once again, Remco Evenepoel has joined him for the ride.

December 20 is the key date for Van der Poel’s return, but he plans to stay active over the following days as well. On 21 December, he’ll line up for the World Cup race in Koksijde, before heading to Hofstade the next day. There’s still a question mark over the Citadel Cross in Namur: should he decide to race there, fans could see him back in action as early as 14 December.

Evenepoel, of course, won’t be venturing into the mud. The Belgian is using the winter to prepare for the new road season. After a successful 2024, he left Soudal Quick-Step to sign with Red Bull–BORA–hansgrohe, then took a short rest period. His big aim for 2025: to challenge Tadej Pogacar and Jonas Vingegaard in the Grand Tours.

That’s why the kilometres in Spain are proving valuable. Last week, the double Olympic champion already went out for a long spin with the world champion from Glasgow. The ride covered 128 kilometres. Not an ultra-distance, but long enough to make Evenepoel sweat. The time trial specialist jokingly called the group ride - which also included Luke Verburg, Freddy Ovett and Arvid de Kleijn - a “suffer festival”: pure pain.

This Wednesday, Van der Poel once again showed little mercy for his 25-year-old Belgian companion. Ovett shared a video on Instagram showing Evenepoel glued to Van der Poel’s wheel, alongside Verburg. The pace was fierce once more: the “Calpe Express,” as the Australian dubbed it, apparently knows only a starting and a ending station.