Forty riders will be of Belgium contingent soon traveling to Kigali for the 2025 UCI Road World Championships. They will, however, be missing two-time defending women’s road race winner (2023 & 2024) Lotte Kopecky who made herself unavailable for the race in Kigali.
Belgium cycling team head coach Ludwig Willems has been monitoring Kopecky after sustaining back injury she sustained in July at the Giro d’Italia Women.
Despite returning to action at the Tour de l’Ardèche in France in August, the coach said his rider is not in a good position for the World Championships.
"She had hoped for a turnaround in the final weeks, but now she's decided to skip the World Championships because she's not convinced she's 100 per cent ready. It's largely a mental issue," Willems said.
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The absence of Kopecky came as a big blow for the Belgians ahead of Kigali 2025 race, but Willems will be counting on the group he has at his disposal.
He selected an elite men's roster led by Remco Evenepoel, who won the road race world title in 2022 in Wollongong and will be vying for a third consecutive time trial world title after winning the rainbow bands in 2023 in Glasgow and 2024 in Zürich.
Belgium became the fifth nation to unveil its squad, following the United States, France, Australia, and New Zealand.
The country will have representatives in individual time trial, team time relay, and road race.
Rosters
Individual Time Trial
Junior Women: Laura Fivé
Junior Men: Thor Michielsen, Seff van Kerckhove. Reserve: Mats Vanden Eynde
U23 Women: Lore De Schepper, Fleur Moors
U23 Men: Jonathan Vervenne, Jarno Widar
Elite Women: Marthe Goossens
Elite Men: Remco Evenepoel, Ilan van Wilder, Florian Vermeersch. Reserve: Alec Segaert.
Mixed Team Relay
Elite Men: Victor Campenaerts, Florian Vermeersch, Jonathan Vervenne. Reserve: Ilan van Wilder
Elite Women: Marthe Goossens, Julie van de Velde, Margot Vanpachtenbeke. Reserve: Marieke Meert
Road Race
Junior Women: Auke de Buysser, Laura Fivé, Sanne Laurijssen
Junior Men: Edouard Claisse, Thor Michielsen, Mats Vanden Eynde, Seff van Kerckhove, Tuur Verbeeck.
Reserves: Leander de Gendt, Mathias de Keersmaeker, Jinze Joris
U23 Women: Lore De Schepper, Tess Moerman, Fleur Moors, Xaydée van Sinaey
U23 Men: Aaron Dockx, Kamiel Eeman, Tim Rex, Jasper Schoofs, Jarno Widar.
Reserves: Milan Donie, Niels Driesen, Aldo Taillieu
Elite Women: Justine Ghekiere, Marthe Goossens, Marieke Meert, Julie van de Velde, Margot Vanpachtenbeke.
Elite Men: Tiesj Benoot, Victor Campenaerts, Remco Evenepoel, Quinten Hermans, Xandro Meurisse, Cian Uijtdebroeks, Ilan van Wilder, Florian Vermeersch