Cycling Champion Remco Evenepoel’s Wife Opens Up About Their Love Story and Life Together

Remco Evenepoel and Oumaïma "Oumi" Rayane grew up on the same street in Schepdaal, but became friends at the age of 17, before getting engaged and then married last year. "A cyclist was not at all my type, but a click happened. A deep connection developed between us," Oumi Rayane told the Dutch-language magazine "Story". The young woman of Moroccan origin, who lives in the shadow of the world cycling champion, confides that the latter, with "his very busy schedule, his training camps and his races", often does not have time to spend good times with her.

"The moments when we can go away together are very rare. Many friends of my age take trips with their partners. It’s quite normal but, with Remco and me, it’s not at all obvious. Believe me: our life is more boring than that of the average Belgian. We spend more time in bed or in the armchair than many people our age. Everything is planned. We can compare this life to that of a family man. There is nothing glamorous. We are simple people. His schedule is very strict, even if we try to find time for ourselves. We have to make a lot of sacrifices to achieve the goals. Otherwise, we don’t reach the top," she reveals.

For the moment, the couple is focusing on Remco’s career. "Cycling is the absolute priority. And that means that I live largely according to his career. I adapt to his lifestyle. But I don’t consider that a burden. His dreams have also become mine. We work hard together to realize them. All the pieces of the puzzle must fit together for Remco to be at his best physically and mentally," says Oumi, who does not fail to accompany her lover during some of his training camps and "comfort" him when "he doesn’t feel good after a bad training" or when "there are criticisms against him".

In addition to being the "moral support" of her husband, Oumi Rayane is also a good housewife. "I do the housework, the laundry and the cooking as well. For an athlete, it has to be healthy, fresh and balanced. With as much protein as carbohydrates. I do all this with pleasure," emphasizes the Moroccan woman who has accepted "out of love" to put her life "on hold for Remco". "It’s not always fun or easy. When Remco has an eight-hour session, I stay alone at the hotel... We sometimes don’t see each other for a month, it’s hard. The advantage is that when we see each other again, it’s really exciting," says Oumi, who confides that they would also like "to have children, if nature allows it".