“I still can't believe it" - Christophe Laporte dedicates 'crazy' European Championships win to Nathan Van Hooydonck
Cycling
After taking a thrilling victory in the men's elite road race at the European Championships, an emotional Christophe Laporte spoke of his disbelief and dedicated his victory to Nathan Van Hooydonck.
“I still can't believe it. It was a really crazy final," said the Frenchman in his post-race interview having narrowly managed to hold off a late charge from Wout van Aert, Olav Kooij and Arnaud De Lie to take one of the biggest wins of his career.
After attacking solo with 12km to go, Laporte was made to work incredibly hard in the finale to keep that lead, after an incredible leadout from De Lie brought van Aert back into contention. “I felt good along the way, but I knew it would be difficult to win in the sprint against Wout van Aert and Arnaud De Lie. So I tried it with an attack and it worked," Laporte recapped. "I sensed the right moment."
“It's really crazy to win this jersey," he concludes emotionally. "I dedicate this victory to my family, but certainly also to Nathan Van Hooydonck. I am very happy."
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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CHRISTOPHE LAPORTE IS THE 2023 EUROPEAN CHAMPION! 👏🇫🇷 He wins in front of his teammate Wout van Aert who caught him in the last meters but couldn't (or didn't want) to pass him. Incredible failure by Belgium. #EuroRoad23
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