2024 : A year where history meets

We have been waiting for such a long time, looking out for records to be broken, and this year it all came together. In this article we line-up 4 protagonists who had a major impact on this season and we also adress one issue in the sport that dominated the debates once again. Something that we are never waiting for and that always comes back sooner then we want. These are five seperate stories that often collided together. This is the road movie of 2024. A journey that will be remembered as a bunch of history makers that met each other on their most crucial moments.

Tadej Pogacar, a wonderkid brings back the past

Before the start of the season, Tadej Pogacar problably looked in the history books during the off season. There is no other way that he could have planned his peak form so well over the full length of a season. He came back late in competition in March, but immediatly won the Strade Bianche after an 80 kilometer solo, only rode Catalunya before Liège and finished his Spring campaign with a monumental victory in Liège. In the next 3 months he won both the Giro d'Italia & Tour de France. An achievement that hasn't been realized since his birth year, in 1998. After those two 3 week races, he only needed 2 race days in Canada to be ready for the Worlds. He turned the laps around Zürich into an 100 kilometer one-man-show where he won the first 'triple crown' since 1987. You expect a big downfall after this arousal? Think twice, he takes two more victories, including another monumental win in Lombardy. A world title, two grand tours and a two monuments. How many years will we need to see such an achievement again? Suprise us again in 2025, Tadej Pogacar.

Mathieu van der Poel floorishes again in Spring

A new cyclocross World title, and 2 more monuments for the palmares of Mathieu van der Poel this year. The Alpecin-Deceuninck rider was the only one of the 'Big 3' in cyclocross to go for the World title and it didn't harm him on the road. In Sanremo, he brought his team mate Jasper Philipsen to winning ways and in Harelbeke, Flanders and Roubaix, he crowned himself as King of the cobbles again. He continued his strong form in the Ardennes but he wasn't able to keep Tadej Pogacar from the victory on the hilly terrain that suited the Slovenian phenomenon. During Summer, Van der Poel didn't really found his terrain in the Tour de France, and in Paris, the race dynamics were playing too much in his disadvantage, to win flowers or medals again. A bronze medal on the Worlds was a nice way to finish his road season. During Winter, he can enjoy the rainbow stripes again during his (limited?) cyclocross campaign. 

Remco Evenepoel, the wonderboy became a mature champion

Remco Evenepoel finished 2023 with mixed feelings. Despite his grand tour talent suddenly started to get questioned after two dissapointing grand tours, the young Belgian and his team expressed their ambitions for the Tour de France. A top 10 spot was the outspoken ambition for both parties. An impact crash in the Basque Country and a dissapointing Dauphiné brought hesitations again by the public, but Evenepoel was there where he needed to be in the Tour de France and did even better then he publicly expressed before. He joins two former winners on the podium and finishes the race as the best young rider. Six days later Remco Evenepoel won his first Olympic time trial later, and one week after, he also wins gold in the road race, as first rider in the history of the sport to do so. After a rest period, the rider from Brussels extends his time trial world title for another year.

Wout van Aert, up & down over & over again

No cyclocross Worlds, no Sanremo. Wout van Aert wasn't afraid to give up some of his biggest chances to 'finally' win in Flanders or Roubaix for the first time. His strategy based on rest, didn't really brought him the energy to compete against Van der Poel during their first direction confrontation. In the end, he even had to leave the second place to Jasper Stuyven. 5 days later, his Spring was already over. An impactful crash in Dars door Vlaanderen terminated his campaign. He built up towards the Olympics during the Tour de France and won a medal during the time trial. In August he made his debut in La Vuelta and his performances reminded us of the best Van Aert that we ever saw in July 2022, but unfortunatly Van Aert had to abandon after he crashed out with two(!) leaders' jerseys on his shoulders during the final week. This season teached Wout van Aert once again that he should take every opportunity that he gets and that even then, bad luck still can be around the corner.

Safety discussions come & go at equal pace

Once again, our sport got confrontated with safety issues. Immense crashes in Dwars door Vlaanderen and the Basque Country included big names and of course, it sparks again discussions in all kinds of media. Former magical solutions, new idealistic (but realistic?) ideas and everybody who feels that they know the way to avoid injuries in the sport, spreads their solution to everyone that they can reach. A few weeks later, we realize again that nothing is in process anymore to improve the safety in the sport, and half a year later, Muriel Furrer loses her life in another deadly crash in the sport. The death of the young Swiss girl brings back the same tendencies as mentioned before in this paragraph. But a few weeks later, we realize again that the discussion muted once again till another rider will lose his/her life in the future. So let the big voices in the sport take action to reduce the risks or let them admit that it actually doesn't interest them at all.