Remco Evenpoel, 19, won the Belgian Sportsman of the Year award at Saturday evening's event, becoming the first Deceuninck-QuickStep rider to win the award since Greg Van Avermaet (2016).

Evenpoel just moved to the World Tour at the start of the 2019 season, but found success almost immediately after dominating the junior ranks the previous season.

In 2019, he finished third in the national time trial championships after winning the Tour of Belgium in June; in July, he followed up his Ionica Race stage win with back-to-back impressive time trial wins in San Sebastian and the European Continental Championships.

In September, he closed out the season at the World Championships by finishing second in the elite men's time trial behind Rohan Dennis. In the road race at the same event, he put in a respectable performance, helping teammate Philippe Gilbert after the veteran had crashed.

"We always say that good things happen quickly.

"I can't believe it. I have no words and this doesn't happen often. Last year it was 'Hope' and this year it's 'Sportsman.' Awards like this motivate me for the future. I'm not nervous, and I want to be stronger. I know I always will be. I have a lot of help from my family, my girlfriend, and of course my great team.

Evenpoel is already gearing up for 2020, targeting several high-profile one-day races as well as the Tokyo Olympics.

"Next year I have four big targets: the Liège-Bastogne-Liège, the time trial for the Tokyo Olympics, the World Championships, and the Tour of Lombardy.

"It means a lot to me to follow in the footsteps of the great Belgian riders. I try to focus on what I have to do."