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Finally back to racing: Lennert Van Eetvelt at the start of Sibiu Cycling Tour

Finally, he is back to racing: Lennert Van Eetvelt (22) is starting today in the Sibiu Cycling Tour. "It feels great to be on the road with the team again!"
Race 06 July 2024
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Last year, he won the second stage and the youth jersey, finished second in the general classification, and third in the mountains classification. Van Eetvelt is very eager to return to Romania for the Sibiu Cycling Tour. The four-day stage race kicks off today with a tough mountain stage, and Lennert Van Eetvelt has noticed. "I'm back for revenge," he laughs. "Last year, after the second stage, I was in a good position in the standings, but then I had a puncture before one of the mountain finishes. I lost a lot of time and the classification. Winning this year would be great... Although I don't have the greatest confidence in that."

Van Eetvelt has been out for months with a persistent knee injury. He started the Belgian Championship two weeks ago, but before that, the last race he participated in was Strade Bianche. "An eternity, that is. For two months, I could do almost nothing, and for three months, I struggled. After each treatment, we hoped it would be resolved the following week. But even after the surgery, there were still questions. The uncertainty was the worst. At one point, I even began to fear it might never be resolved. And just when I finally started training again, I was hit by a car."

In recent weeks, there has finally been light at the end of the tunnel. Van Eetvelt competed again for the first time in the Belgian Championship time trial. A few days later, he finished seventh in the road race. "I'm happy that I'm gradually feeling like a cyclist again, mostly. I underestimated how far I had to come back. The training level wasn't immediately what I hoped for. The engine is still there, but I'm curious to see what happens when the intensity is increased this week. It will also be the first time I'm climbing in a race again."

Van Eetvelt is mainly happy to be able to look forward again in Sibiu. "It feels good to be out with the team again. The Sibiu Cycling Tour is a nice race. Stages one and three finish on a mountain top, and I'm looking forward to that. Winning would be great, but just being at the start here is already a victory in itself. It has taken long enough."

 

Picture: Sibiu Cycling Tour