The Visma-Lease a Bike crew confirmed the signing of Victor Campenaerts. The information of the transfer emerged as a hearsay in June, with the Belgian confirming a change of groups however unable to present specifics.
Campenaerts added a long-sought stage win within the Tour de France in July, including to a palmares that features a stage win within the Giro d’Italia, two European titles within the time trial and a stint holding the Hour Record.
The 32-year-old spent the final three seasons with Lotto Dstny, having rejoined that crew after two years with the NTT/Qhubeka crew. His two earlier years with Lotto Soudal got here after his first stint with the Visma-Lease a Bike organisation in 2016 and 2017.
Campenaerts left the then-LottoNl-Jumbo crew following the 2017 crew to pursue his private ambitions. With his return, he dedicated to trip out the subsequent three seasons for the crew serving the leaders.
“We nonetheless know Victor nicely from his earlier time with the crew and have saved in good contact since then,” says crew director Grischa Niermann.
“He is a really robust rider, with a superb time trial, as he proved once more on this Tour de France. By now, he’s additionally a really skilled rider identified for his pursuit of improvements. We can actually use that have.”
Campenaerts is trying ahead to supporting the crew’s leaders throughout Grand Tours, specifically, the Tour de France.
“Throughout my profession, I’ve all the time set formidable however reasonable objectives,” Campenaerts mentioned. “I’ve usually achieved them, like on this previous Tour de France. My final objective is to sooner or later win the Tour de France. I’m not able to doing so myself, however I generally is a profitable a part of the crew that achieves that victory.”
“I hope I could make the Tour squad subsequent yr. This crew is the benchmark relating to stage racing, so I’m very glad to return.”