Remco Evenepoel made a triumphant return to racing by winning the Brabantse Pijl one-day race in Belgium on Friday, just four months after a serious crash.

The 25-year-old Belgian outsprinted compatriot Wout van Aert after the two broke away in the final section of the race. A massive crowd cheered them on during the final circuits in the Brussels suburbs.

Evenepoel’s Explosiveness Delivers In Surprise Win

"I surprised myself. I was very fresh," Evenepoel said. "I'm especially pleased with my sprint. I've been working a lot on my explosiveness recently and it's paid off."

"I felt right at home right away. But to beat Wout in a sprint... is exceptional," he added.

Van Aert was gracious in defeat. "Remco killed me," he said. "It was impressive, so hard to stay in his wheel. I'm disappointed, of course. But Remco deserves his victory."

Evenepoel attacked with 49 kilometers to go, alongside Van Aert and Briton Joseph Blackmore. The Belgians dropped Blackmore on Hertstraat, one of the race’s cobbled climbs, with 15km remaining.

Father’s Tears, Olympic Goals, And The Road Ahead

Evenepoel’s father Patrick was moved to tears at the finish line. "Some people had doubts about his ability to return to the highest level once again. This is the best answer of all," he said. "Today, I'm happy for my child, more than for the athlete."

Evenepoel suffered torn shoulder ligaments in December after crashing into the open door of a Belgian postal van. He raced Friday with his right shoulder bandaged and still in pain.

He plans to ride the Amstel Gold Classic on Sunday, where he will face Tadej Pogacar. "Pogacar is an inspiration," Evenepoel said. "But I have to be able to beat him. That’s what my team pays me for."

Evenepoel also drew motivation from watching Mathieu van der Poel win Paris-Roubaix and Pogacar win the Tour of Flanders earlier this month. "It motivated me to push myself in training. I too want to compete at San Remo, the Ronde, and Roubaix one day," he said.

After Amstel, he plans to race the Fleche Wallonne on April 23, Liege-Bastogne-Liege on April 27, and then shift focus to stage racing at the Tour de Romandie (April 30–May 4) as he builds toward the Tour de France.