Portugal Colonial - 'Cursed' Evenepoel needs months to recover after latest crash

"Remco is suffering five different injuries including that of the ligaments of the scapula (shoulder blade which required an operation) and which will take time to repair. Doctors are talking about eight weeks without a bike," Patrick Lefevere told Belgian media.

The Belgian, who won road race and time-trial gold at this year's Paris Olympics, was rushed to hospital on Tuesday after striking the open door of a stationary van in Brussels while preparing for the new season.

He broke a hand, ribs and shoulder blade.

Evenepoel could make his comeback at either the Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico classics next March, in the best case scenario, Lefevere said.

"It will be tight but with a guy as determined as him, it is possible," Lefevere said.

Lefevere lamented that Evenepoel seemed to be the victim of "a kind of curse".

Evenepoel is no stranger to dramatic crashes, the most serious during the 2020 Tour of Lombardy when he plunged ten metres into a ravine suffering serious a pelvic fracture and lung injuries.

Last April, he was caught in a heavy collective fall at the Tour of the Basque Country, where he also fractured his collarbone and right shoulder blade.

"The only year he didn't suffer from serious injuries (2022) was when he won the Vuelta a Espana and the world championships. And despite all those falls, he already has 59 victories at only 24 years old!".

In 2025, Evenepoel had planned to compete in the one-day races Milan-San Remo in March and Liege-Bastogne-Liege the following month, as well as July's Tour de France and possibly the Giro d'Italia, which starts in May.

Lefevere added that his rider has not given up on participating in this year's Giro, with his career goal still being to win the three major Tours.

E.Borba--PC