"I won't forgive myself for that" - Lennert van Eetvelt on 'nightmare' stage win he handed to Roglic at Vuelta a España
Cycling
Lennert van Eetvelt has been sidelined for several months during the 2024 season, but he still had a stratospheric year. He has achieved a lot, won a lot, and proved himself as one of the top climbers in the peloton. However, he does not forget a 'nightmare' moment where he lost what would be his first Grand Tour win.
But his great season began right in January with a triumph at the Trofeo Serra de Tramuntana, and a month later he shocked to win the UAE Tour with a brilliant climb to Jebel Hafeet where he was the strongest. "That I won there, I really didn't expect, so early in the season in that field of contenders. I knew I had made progress in the winter but had not dared to dream this," he said in a video shared by the team - who also got the news that Maxim van Gils would be breaking his contract.
Shortly after, he had a knee injury that held him off for three and a half months. "I could train but not compete. We didn't know where it came from, and yet the symptoms remained, even after surgery. For a moment, I thought: this will never go away, this was the end of it. When the pain subsided, however, I soon lost that feeling".
He returned to competition at the national championships, finished third at the Clásica San Sebastián and then entered the Vuelta a España with tremendous form. In the first summit finish at Pico Villuercas he matches Primoz Roglic and Enric Mas, and in the final sprint he went head-to-head with the Slovenian (who eventually won the race). He was bound for a stage win but celebrated too early... "I won't forgive myself for that, I guess. It was a nightmare, that second place,"
He then finished the season with a seventh place at Il Lombardia and then a stage and GC win at the Tour of Guangxi. "I actually look back on it with a lot of pride and a good feeling. I have had a lot of ups and downs, but to be honest, the downs don't bother me that much," he argues. "I still got a lot of great results. For next season, I feel little pressure; I just have to keep going. I know how to train well and prepare for my goals,"
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“As soon as the offseason starts, I always want to eat a lot. But then I realize that, when I’m not training, I don’t feel as hungry anymore.” 🍰
— Lotto Dstny (@lotto_dstny) November 18, 2024
Would @LennertVEetvelt already be craving a new season by now? 😉 Check out our video!
Video: 28VISUALS pic.twitter.com/VQyvVc60W9
Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
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Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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