After struggling to eat in the course of the six hours of racing at Il Lombardia, 23-year-old Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Dstny) survived cramps to take seventh in simply his second Monument look.
The Belgian was utterly exhausted on the line in Como, opting to lie straight on the tarmac as he tried to recuperate after a full fuel day within the saddle.
In the long run, he was simply delighted to have made it and never utterly capitulated within the last 48km after race winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Crew Emirates) attacked solo and left the remainder of the sector in his wake.
“I am joyful I am right here, I am joyful I completed. I stated it earlier than, I did not have the very best legs right now,” stated Van Eetvelt to reporters on the end.
“I used to be actually shocked and I used to be actually petrified of the final climb. My legs have been cramping so exhausting and I am joyful I’ve made it.”
Van Eetvelt was racing for the primary time since abandoning the Vuelta a España with respiratory issues and was nicely within the struggle for the rostrum alongside Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) and Enric Mas (Movistar) after bridging throughout solo on the Colma di Sormano.
Nevertheless, by this level, the consequences of not with the ability to eat set in and Van Eetvelt started to wrestle and was barely capable of provide help to his compatriot and Mas of their chase of Pogačar, earlier than Evenepoel ultimately set off on his personal to take second.
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“Originally of the race, I already felt it was perhaps not my finest day. I used to be a little bit nauseous and had bother consuming so I could not actually eat quite a bit,” revealed the Belgian.
“After three or 4 hours it is nonetheless high quality however after 5 or 6 you actually really feel it and I used to be considering perhaps I’d simply need to do my very own tempo on the climb after which see.
“However when Tadej went, I attempted to comply with Remco only for myself and for individuals at dwelling as a result of it is the final race of the season so I additionally wished to indicate one thing.”
Upon reflection, there was some remorse in Van Eetvelt’s feedback having tried to stay with Evenepoel for therefore lengthy and never simply ridden his personal tempo. This led to him taking seventh within the last having been caught by Pavel Sivakov (UAE Crew Emirates) Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) and Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) on the descent into Como and dropping the lowered dash.
“On the Colma di Sormano, I used to be shocked that I may comply with Remco for therefore lengthy. Looking back it may not have been the very best thought to attempt that, as a result of I did not have my finest day,” stated Van Eetvelt to dwelling broadcaster Sporza.
“I’d have appreciated to experience with Remco, however I used to be combating the cramps and I used to be truly shocked that I used to be there. I used to be actually on the restrict. Did I take into consideration the rostrum? At a sure level, sure, however I additionally felt my legs.”
It has been an important season of ups and downs for Van Eetvelt, who after taking general victory on the UAE Tour and eleventh at Strade Bianche was sidelined for greater than three months after present process knee surgical procedure and being hit by a automobile in coaching. He then bounced again absolutely with third at San Sebastian earlier than impressing on the Vuelta forward of affected by the respiratory issues as talked about.
With this seventh at Lombardia, Van Eetvelt has closed out the European season on a excessive, and his yr is not over but as he travels now to China for the ultimate WorldTour race of the season – the Gree-Tour of Guangxi.
“A variety of ups a number of downs however I am joyful now I can have an as much as finish the season,” he stated. “I hadn’t raced for a month earlier than Lombardy. So I am nonetheless fairly contemporary on the finish of the yr.
