After struggling to eat through 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 fully exhausted on the line in Como, opting to lie straight on the tarmac as he tried to get better after a full gasoline day within the saddle.
In the tip, he was simply delighted to have made it and never fully capitulated within the ultimate 48km after race winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Team Emirates) attacked solo and left the remainder of the sector in his wake.
“I’m blissful I’m right here, I’m blissful I completed. I mentioned it earlier than, I did not have one of the best legs as we speak,” mentioned Van Eetvelt to reporters on the end.
“I used to be actually shocked and I used to be actually fearful of the final climb. My legs had been cramping so onerous and I’m blissful I’ve made it.”
Van Eetvelt was racing for the primary time since abandoning the Vuelta a España with respiratory issues and was effectively within the struggle for the rostrum alongside Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) and Enric Mas (Movistar) after bridging throughout solo on the Colma di Sormano.
However, by this level, the consequences of not with the ability to eat set in and Van Eetvelt started to battle and was barely in a position to 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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“At the start of the race, I already felt it was possibly not my finest day. I used to be a bit of nauseous and had hassle consuming so I could not actually eat rather a lot,” revealed the Belgian.
“After three or 4 hours it is nonetheless high quality however after 5 – 6 you actually really feel it and I used to be considering possibly I’d simply should do my very own tempo on the climb after which see.
“But 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 thus lengthy and never simply ridden his personal tempo. This led to him taking seventh within the ultimate having been caught by Pavel Sivakov (UAE Team Emirates) Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) and Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) on the descent into Como and shedding the lowered dash.
“On the Colma di Sormano, I used to be shocked that I may comply with Remco for thus lengthy. In retrospect it may not have been one of the best thought to strive that, as a result of I did not have my finest day,” mentioned 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’s been a fantastic season of ups and downs for Van Eetvelt, who after taking total 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 totally 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 12 months is not over but as he travels now to China for the ultimate WorldTour race of the season – the Gree-Tour of Guangxi.
“Lots of ups loads of downs however I’m blissful now I can have an as much as finish the season,” he mentioned. “I hadn’t raced for a month earlier than Lombardy. So I’m nonetheless moderately contemporary on the finish of the 12 months.