At the age of 5, the Belgian boy Remko Avenpole didn't even think about bicycles, even though his father Patrick was one of the most famous riders in the country.
Like most children he also went to play football, and he did so in the children's team of Anderlecht, the biggest football club in Belgium.
Although the boy did not grow in height, his control of the ball, in an age where everything is photographed and every group of children has scouts, he was spotted at the age of 11 by the empire on the other side of the border - Eindhoven, and was invited to its academy.
The Belgians realized that they had growing potential in their hands and in their youth they had, in addition to a tough left back, also a real leader on the field, very mature for his age.
Remko Avenpol can't hold back the tears.
Not going in one branch?
Moving on to another, photo: AFP
The boys' national team of Belgium got a new captain in 2016, who has already made his mark in Dutch and Belgian football.
A year and a half later, Remco stopped growing.
The doctors checked and said that these 170 centimeters might add a maximum of three or four centimeters, but most likely not.
The boy, who was of course mature for his age, understood very quickly how much, and the experts also explained that what is good for youth is not sure to be enough for a career in a serious football team in Europe.
Today (Sunday), Remko Avenpole will be announced as the first Belgian to win one of the three biggest tours in the world cycling tour, since 1978. The 22.5-year-old rider, who until five years ago had never ridden a bike professionally, will cross the finish line of the Valletta a'España , when he is wearing the red shirt.
Not that of the "Red Devils", but rather that of the Spanish bicycle competition.
Even in terms of a crazy industry like road bikes, this is one of the biggest stories in recent years and probably in general.
No words to describe my feelings, it's a dream come true!!
🙏🏼💭🔴🇪🇸
The entire team, my fiancé, my family... everyone who believed in me, THANK YOU! 🐺❤️
Making history together!
👊🏼🔥 pic.twitter.com/nB3K6hGNMt
— Remco Evenepoel (@EvenepoelRemco) September 10, 2022
"I don't know what's going through my brain and my body right now," he said after securing the win.
"I was stressed, I didn't sleep all night and I knew I had to control myself. But mostly I wanted to answer my critics who said I wasn't delivering the goods. I think today I answered everyone who criticized me, through the pedals."
So the new star of the Dekuninck Quick-Step team, will win in his homeland the honor of kings in view of the work that the new editions open with his win and crowds are expected to welcome him upon his arrival.
And about the height?
At the beginning of the competition, it was determined in the official measurement that his height is 1.71 meters.
So maybe the decision to leave football wasn't so terrible.
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