"I would like to become one of the top classics riders in Belgium" - Le Samyn winner Laurenz Rex reveals his ambition

The 24-year-old Laurenz Rex has been patiently waiting for his breakthrough victory until today's Le Samyn. But the Intermarché - Wanty rider doesn't intend to stop there as he tells WielerFlits that he aims to become one of Belgium's best classics riders in few years' time.

Rex didn't have the perfect run-in for classics last year, which was caused by fibula fracture. "I think I had a lot of bad luck during that period. In Roubaix I was spared that and finished ninth, unbelievable. That is my dream race. Then I immediately did Giro d'Italia, which is very difficult after the classics. You have to keep training. There I came fourth once. I took a good step in my development there."

But this year, he wants to his best self. "The team has a lot of confidence in me. But I also have a lot of self-confidence. I worked hard last winter and am really looking forward to the coming period. There is a nice plan and race programme. I really hope to be able to show myself in the classics. From Tirreno-Adriatico I will no longer deviate from Biniam Girmay. I have to support him, together with Mike Teunissen and Hugo Page, until deep into the finals."

"Our ambition is to aim for the podium. There is great confidence in this," says Rex, who learned a lot from Adrien Petit last year. "He was very important to me, Adrien has so much experience. Because he was injured himself, he was my telephone coach, haha. Someone like Dimitri Claeys was also important, who often came to my room in the evening to go through the race again. But also by seeing for myself and watching a lot of races when I'm not racing. I try to take advantage of everything to learn a lot and absorb it like a sponge."

"Where will I be in two years? I would like to become one of the top classics riders in Belgium. I think I have the engine for that and I am built in such a way that I should be able to do that. I also know what it takes. But I can also do my job well in a lead out. I'm not a very fast sprinter myself, but I do have a lot of strength. In Bini's train I would really like to grow together and do many competitions with him for victories," he says regarding his future goals.