Belgian cyclist and road world champion Remco Evenepoel has announced that he will open a cycling academy in Brussels with the aim of getting young people interested in cycling instead of football.
"It hurts me a little that in the city of Brussels the bicycle is no longer part of the nature of young people", declared the cyclist, on the occasion of the delivery of the National Sports Merit trophy.
The runner lamented that it is "increasingly difficult to ride a bicycle calmly in the city" and said he is sure that many people do not dare to ride a bike due to a lack of safe routes, excessive traffic or lack of bicycle rental.
"We will lend bicycles," added Evenepoel, who hoped that the academy would help young people "to focus more on cycling than on football." Curiously, Evenepoel started out in football, in the Anderlecht youth academy, and became a Belgian international in sub'15 and sub'16 categories.
The training center, which Evenepoel will launch with his friend Jean-François Lenvain and journalist Gérard Bulens, will be called the REV Brussels Cycling Academy and hopes to spark interest in cycling in Belgium.
