Van Aert circled World Championships in Montréal in red and gets his wish: Van Avermaet sees tailor-made course

“A tough course overall,” Van Avermaet told HLN. The exact distance, finish location, and number of laps are not yet confirmed. But it’s already clear it will closely resemble the GP Montréal. “The approach section will be less demanding than the circuit, but it’s perfect for promoting the region.

“Montréal will be entered via a very beautiful bridge, which will produce stunning TV images,” continued the Belgian ex-pro. “But it’s especially the succession of local laps and the accumulation of altitude gain that will ultimately make the difference.”

Still: “It remains a ‘punchy’ race, since the effort on the longest climb only lasts about 4.5 minutes. A Worlds where classics riders, on a top day, can also shine.” Van Avermaet believes the Belgians could score again, 52 years after Eddy Merckx won his third and final world title in Canada.

Wout van Aert has already said he has his eyes set on the World Championships in Montréal. “And you can add Remco Evenepoel to that list,” said Greg Van Avermaet, who sees multiple opportunities for the Belgians. “We’ve got two strong leaders who, in recent years, have proven they get along well and can work together.”

With a bit of smart racing, Belgium can play both cards to their advantage. “They’re two different types, but that’s no disadvantage at a championship like this. Remco can launch an attack from far out. And Wout, in good form and at the right weight, is always dangerous in a power sprint rather than a pure speed sprint. For both of them, this is a dream course.”

So, according to Van Avermaet, it’s a World Championships suited for the Belgians, and even in the women’s race, the country could do well with Lotte Kopecky. “It’s the kind of effort that suits Lotte very well. She won’t be racing World Championships this year, which means she’ll probably head to Canada in 2026 with huge hunger.”

The course itself, Van Avermaet believes, will also lead to fewer withdrawals. “In that sense, the disadvantage of Rwanda next year could become an advantage for Montréal. The many top riders skipping this year’s Worlds, both women and men, will no doubt want to be there again. That’s only good news for the organizers,” concluded the Belgian.