In one of the most unexpected and bizarre twists before the 2025 UCI Road World Championships, Belgian cycling star Remco Evenepoel almost withdrew from the race due to what his coach described as a “saddle nightmare.” The incident, which at first sounded like a mechanical hiccup, turned into a full-blown crisis that nearly cost Belgium its world title hopes.
According to national team coach Serge Pauwels, the chaos began just hours before the start of the individual time trial. Evenepoel, known for his meticulous preparation and sensitivity to bike setup, suddenly complained that his new custom saddle — nicknamed “The Monster” by mechanics — was causing severe discomfort during warm-ups. “At first, we thought it was just a minor adjustment issue,” Pauwels recalled. “But then Remco said he couldn’t even hold his position for more than a few minutes. That’s when panic started.”
The saddle in question was a prototype designed specifically for aerodynamic optimization, featuring experimental padding and an unusual curvature meant to improve power output. However, the setup backfired dramatically. Mechanics scrambled to fix the problem, but the replacement options were limited — all spare saddles had already been tuned to match the same controversial design.
“It was surreal,” Pauwels said. “Here we were, minutes away from the world championship, and our best rider was in agony because of a piece of equipment that was supposed to make him faster.”
Behind the scenes, team staff reportedly debated whether to pull Evenepoel from the race to avoid long-term injury. But the young Belgian refused. According to sources within the camp, he told Pauwels, “I’ll ride it, even if it kills me.”
What happened next has already become part of cycling folklore. Despite visible discomfort, Evenepoel powered through the time trial, adjusting his posture mid-race in an unorthodox way that stunned both commentators and competitors. Against all odds, he finished on the podium — an achievement many now call one of the gutsiest performances of his career.
Yet the real shock came afterward. In a post-race interview, Pauwels revealed that the saddle’s design had been pushed by an external sponsor working with the team’s equipment partner — a collaboration that had not been fully approved by the Belgian federation. “Let’s just say there were too many hands in the kitchen,” Pauwels said sharply. “This was a lesson learned the hard way.”
The revelation sent ripples through the cycling world. Fans accused the team of putting sponsorship interests ahead of athlete welfare, while insiders suggested that the “saddle saga” exposed deeper tensions between riders and technical staff.
