"I felt strong, but they have just a little more stamina than I do" - Joseph Blackmore puts in standout performance alongside Evenepoel & Van Aert at Brabantse Pijl

22-year-old Joseph Blackmore is seen by many as one of the bright hopes for the future of British cycling. On Friday afternoon in Belgium, the Israel - Premier Tech showed glimpses of just why he is so highly rated with a standout performance at Brabantse Pijl 2025.

After Belgian superstar Remco Evenepoel and Wout van Aert ignited the fight for the win at around 40km to go, the all-star duo looked as if they would simply ride away from the rest of the race together. Blackmore however, had other ideas and the former Tour de l'Avenir winner countered from the chase and actually bridged across the pair of Monument winners. Whilst a spot on the final podium looked good for the Brit from there, ultimately that wasn't to be as on the final lap of the race, another acceleration from Evenepoel dropped Blackmore from the front, with him eventually crossing the line in 42nd.

Nevertheless, there were plenty of positives to take for Blackmore, even though he was questioned in some quarters as to why worked so much with Evenepoel and Van Aert whilst they were together as a trio. "I needed to catch my breath, and from that moment on, I rode full throttle at the front. That's the only right thing to do at a moment like that," he explained to IDLProCycling post-race. "I didn't hesitate to ride with them. If I hadn't, they would have attacked me, and I would have been toast anyway."

"It was really cool. You have to try it," he added with a proud smile. "I felt strong, but they have just a little more stamina than I do. For me, it was one lap too much."

"I have to be proud. I can be very pleased with the fact that I was up there with them for now. Hopefully, I can also show myself in the upcoming races," Blackmore concludes, heading into the Ardennes with a renewed optimism and confidence after this showing. “I wanted to try everything and get used to the way of racing in Belgium. Hopefully, the races that suit me best are coming up."