A lack of confidence from Victor Campenaerts was the basis for Visma's tactics in the Eneco Tour
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Follow us on GoogleVictor Campenaerts remains in the lead after the queen stage of the Eneco Tour. The Belgian watched as his Visma | Lease a Bike team controlled the race all day in Drenthe, with multiple ascents of the VAM mountain. The Dutch team let the stage victory go to the breakaway group, where Victor Vercouillie (Flanders Baloise) took the win.
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Many fans are expecting a battle for the stage win among the favorites, just like on Friday. On Friday, Campenaerts and Mick van Dijke broke away in the final stretch, with Van Dijke ultimately taking the win. On Saturday, it didn't come to that.
"It's really nice to see how we've always been very organized and very committed to the team's goal," says the overall leader. “And this is the first time I’ve been the one to achieve that goal. We wanted to win the stage with Christophe, but he wasn’t very confident, so we gave the breakaway some space.”
"But then the lead-out he gave me to make sure no one would pass was truly incredible. "I think we can say in hindsight that he could have won the stage," said Campenaerts about the man who took the spotlight last year and has already been crowned European champion in Drenthe.
Campenaerts is about to become a father for the second time
Campenaerts is about to become a father for the second time, while he has a chance to claim his first stage victory on Sunday. “What might be a very difficult choice is what happens if my wife calls me tomorrow morning and her contractions start. That will be a tough choice, but I have to say that I’ll go home then. I love cycling very much, but there are more things in life than cycling.”
"But for now, things are quiet at home and everything is going smoothly, so it should be possible to finish tomorrow's stage. It’ll be hectic, just like last year when there were attacks from start to finish, but we’re going to defend our lead again, and maybe, if it turns out to be another tough stage, we can try again with Christophe,” the Belgian concludes.
Tom van der Salm (27) comes from the charming town of Zeilberg (Deurne) in the Netherlands and has been working as editor-in-chief & journalist at IDL Pro Cycling's parent site, In de Leiderstrui, since 2019. He travels with the peloton from the Tour de France to the AlUla Tour and from the World Championships in Rwanda or Canada to the Zilvermeercross in Mol. In his spare time he enjoys playing football, mountain biking, running, walking with his Labrador/Stabyhoun, investing, holidays, (specialty) beers, reading, cooking and watching sports & documentaries!
Contact: [email protected]
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