“For those children, it makes a big difference” - Team Visma | Lease a Bike pledge all Eneco Tour prize money to charity as Campenaerts takes first-ever leader’s jersey
Cycling
Team Visma | Lease a Bike are donating all of the prize money they earn at the 2026 Eneco Tour to the charity 'Ieder kind een fiets' ('Every Child a Bike').
The decision was taken by the riders themselves earlier in the week, with Victor Campenaerts explaining to WielerFlits after Stage 3 that the idea had come up around the dinner table.
"We really wanted to give that charity a boost," Campenaerts said. "On day one, we were talking about the initiative at the dinner table and then we said: why don't we donate all of our prize money? For us, that money only makes a small difference because we still receive our monthly salary. For those children, it makes a big difference."
For Campenaerts, the initiative also reaches beyond the results sheet. "Cycling isn't only about being the first to cross the finish line on your bike," he said. "Entertaining and inspiring are also very important. That's what we want to do with this initiative. It gives us a warm feeling that, through our performances, we can contribute something to society."
Campenaerts rides into the Eneco Tour lead
Friday's third stage put Campenaerts into the overall lead for the first time in his professional career.
The Team Visma | Lease a Bike rider was one of the main aggressors during a heavily fragmented finale and eventually escaped with Mick van Dijke. The pair stayed clear to fight for the stage victory, with Van Dijke coming past Campenaerts in the closing metres to claim his first professional win.
"We started with a strong team and we wanted to win the stage, but such a short stage on this course is very hectic," Campenaerts explained. "Almost everyone lost control of the race, including us. That's why I wanted to try it alone and ride everyone off my wheel. But with Mick, I found a good collaboration."
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Campenaerts ultimately had to settle for second on the stage. "It would have been nice if I could also have taken the stage win, but we can both stand here feeling good," he said.
His move nevertheless carried a consequence he had never previously experienced across a long professional career. "I've been a professional for a long time, but Saturday will be the first time I wear the leader's jersey in a stage race," Campenaerts said.
The new race leader immediately tied the task of defending it back to Visma's commitment for the week. "Let's defend the leader's jersey so that we can donate as much as possible."
Campenaerts will therefore line up on Saturday in a stage-race leader's jersey for the first time in his professional career, with every euro Team Visma | Lease a Bike earn from defending it still committed to Ieder kind een fiets.
Kieran WoodDeputy Editor-in-Chief
Kieran Wood is a sports journalist based in Wales and has been active in journalism since 2022. He regularly contributes to DartsNews.com and CyclingUpToDate.com, where he covers professional cycling and darts. In cycling, his work includes liveblogs from major races, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España, alongside race reports and analysis. He has also conducted interviews with professional riders.
His reporting spans the full racing calendar, from one-day classics to stage races, with a focus on accurate, real-time coverage and clear contextual analysis. For statistics, results, and historical context, he regularly uses resources such as ProCyclingStats. To support reporting on rider activity and training context where relevant, he also references Strava.
In his work, Kieran places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles as new, verified information becomes available.
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