“I found myself with the fifteen best climbers in the world” – Campenaerts revels in mountain role for Jonas Vingegaard

Victor Campenaerts may be known for his time trial ability, but this July he carved out a new reputation, as a key mountain domestique for Team Visma | Lease a Bike during his Tour de France debut. Despite the team falling short in their bid to unseat Tadej Pogacar, who claimed his fourth yellow jersey, Campenaerts’ effort in the high mountains stood out. Alongside strong showings from Sepp Kuss, Matteo Jorgenson, and Simon Yates, the 33-year-old Belgian proved he could climb with the best, even on the infamous Mont Ventoux. For a rider better known for flat efforts, Campenaerts brought something unexpected to the peaks.

“There was a bit of criticism initially, it's true. But I think that today, the journalists who had doubts recognize that it was perhaps unjustified. I understand their point of view, but the team knew what it was doing,” Campenaerts told Cyclism’Actu. His inclusion in the Tour’s mountain squad raised eyebrows at first, but his preparation was deliberate and focused.

“90% of the training was focused on the mountains. When you go to the Tour with the ambition of playing for the general classification with Jonas, all the riders – except Edoardo Affini, who takes care of the flat kilometers – must be able to climb well.”

That preparation paid off. “On a hors catégorie climb, I found myself with the fifteen best climbers in the world. It was a great feeling. It's true that I didn't expect to climb so well. Already at the Dauphiné, I felt at my best in the mountains, but here, it was even better than expected.”

Still, Campenaerts is clear that this evolution is not a permanent rebranding. “I don't want to become a climber for the sake of climbing. My ambition is to be the best possible teammate in a Grand Tour. And for that, you have to be able to keep up in the mountains. I hope to be able to continue to go to the Tour de France and fight for victory with Jonas.”