Early on stage 6 of the Vuelta a España sharp-eyed followers can have observed {that a} acquainted determine was on the transfer for the breakaways, as specialist Thomas de Gendt tried his greatest to push clear in what will probably be his final ever Grand Tour.
The 37-year-old didn’t handle this time round. However as a rider whose means to make breakaway succeeds now types a part of professional biking’s city legends, expectations stay excessive that the Lotto Dstny racer will sooner or later be off the entrance and battling for at the least one final stage win.
Though younger teammate Lennert van Eetvelt is preventing for the general, sports activities director Mario Aerts instructed Cyclingnews this could not have an effect on the Belgian veteran’s alternatives to shine on his personal account.
“For the second we’re nonetheless holding all our choices open,” Aerts mentioned. “Thomas is Thomas, and when wanted he’ll do his job for Lenny. And if there’s a probability on one of many days for Thomas, then why not?”
De Gendt is using his twenty fifth Grand Tour and are available what might, they are going to be celebrating his five hundredth day of racing in biking’s prime three-week races on stage 20. The 37-year-old says, provided that day will probably be one of many hardest of all the Vuelta and a giant GC stage, his possibilities of going for a win will probably be minimal. Nevertheless, if there are different alternatives to go for his eleventh Grand Tour stage win and second thus far within the Vuelta a España, he’ll make sure to attempt to take it.
“I am in good condition, higher than the remainder of the yr, however I will must see whether or not I am adequate,” De Gendt instructed Cyclingnews earlier this week.
“Even with my greatest kind, I believe I might have a tough time to win a stage as a result of in biking the extent has risen a bit greater than my degree was rising within the final weeks. I simply hope it is adequate to be in a break however I do know it is going to be tough.”
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The route this yr shouldn’t be beneficial to the sprinters, with simply 4 or 5 alternatives at greatest and there are fewer transition levels than standard, too. However no matter how the organisers have tailored the route because of this, De Gendt says the important thing issue is, as ever, getting in the precise break with the precise riders. As for the 2024 Vuelta a España, the absence of three main figures, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep), Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Workforce Emirates) makes his personal mission notably simpler.
“There are some days which can be actually good for breaks this yr, and even when it is a mountain or summit end on the finish it is nonetheless acquired prospects,” De Gendt mentioned.
“You simply must have the precise riders with you that you may beat on a climb and the liberty to manoeuvre as you need. To win, I simply have to get some freedom.”
“That is why it is essential there isn’t any Remco, Vingo’ or Pog’ within the race as a result of in the event that they have been right here, these groups at all times shut the hole to get a stage win themselves. However this Vuelta is, I believe, extra like a standard Grand Tour race.”
The dearth of sprinting levels has already had one impact, De Gendt says, which is to suffocate the breakaways on the few flat days thus far within the Vuelta. So the primary time he made a transfer was on stage 6, the place – except the GC stage to Villuercas – the fastmen had no probability of victory.
“I already knew there are usually not so many dash days and solely three or 4 actual sprinters this yr within the race,” De Gendt mentioned.
“In order that makes it actually tough to win on days like levels 2 or 3, as a result of you recognize that the sprinters’ groups will probably be sure to regulate issues. And so at kilometre zero, they have been all lined up on the entrance, ensuring there weren’t too many riders up there within the breaks.”
“It might have been silly to assault on these days, possibly for those who needed the King of the Mountains jersey, however not for the stage. Even when there have been 5 or 6 riders, they’d nonetheless have had no probability.”
De Gendt could also be knocking down the curtain on the breakaways and all the opposite options of his skilled life very quickly, however as he instructed Cyclingnews, any sense of nostalgia sparked by the approaching finish to his 16-year profession has but to hit house.
“The Vuelta shouldn’t be my remaining race, I’ll nonetheless do the Italian Classics after that. So for for the second at the least, it is similar to one of many many Grand Excursions you do. You simply attempt to do the perfect you possibly can, eat the perfect you possibly can, and save as a lot power wherever you possibly can.
“I haven’t got any emotions about it but, though possibly on the final day of the Vuelta as that”ll most likely be my final time trial, that’ll change. However for now, I am simply concentrating on the racing and staying focussed, during to the top.”
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