Remco Evenepoel favourite for Belgian Sportsman of the Year award

Cyclists Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert and speed skater Bart Swings are still in the running for the Sportsman of the Year award. Evenepoel made international headlines as the winner of the most recent Giro d'Italia and the Road World Championship in Australia, while Van Aert secured the sprinter's jersey at the Tour de France. Mass start specialist Swings was crowned European, World and Olympic champion in 2022.

Figure skater Loena Hendrickx, cyclist Lotte Kopecky and athlete Nafi Thiam are the three contenders for Sportswoman of the year. Ending as runner-up in Montpellier, Hendrickx is the first Belgian figure skater in history to win a World Championship medal. Kopecky won both the Tour of Flanders and Strade Bianche and finished second during the World Championship. Thiam continued her domination of the Heptathlon discipline by becoming the World Champion and extending her European title.

The candidates for these prestigious trophies were announced by Sportspress, the Belgian Professional Association of Sports Journalists, on Tuesday morning. A combination of journalists and former winners of the competition will elect this year's winners.

Besides Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year, there will be awards for Talent, Team, Coach and Paralympian of the Year. The winning names will be announced at the Sports Gala, which takes place on Friday 6 January. Last year, cyclist Wout van Aert and gymnast Nina Derwael were awarded the Sportsman and Sportswoman of the Year trophies.

^{Remco Evenepoel celebrates winning the UCI Road World Championships Cycling 2022 in Wollongong, Australia. © BELGA PHOTO DIRK WAEM}