Another all-in ride in the breakaway from @Tomashuuns & @JulienBernard17 at @LeTour 💪 It wasn’t meant to be but we were so proud of how they raced out there today again 👊💪 #TDF2024 📸 Zac Williams
"It could easily happen that suddenly fifteen riders ride away" - Belgian coach explains where he sees Jasper Stuyven's value for the Olympic team
CyclingFriday, 19 July 2024 at 10:00
The 111th Tour de France is slowly reaching it's final instalment but many riders already have their eyes set on what's yet to come after the Grande Boucle. Yes, we're talking about the Olympic Games with time trial taking place only a week after the time trial in Nice with road race scheduled for the Sunday after that.
Belgium will have undoubted leaders in Remco Evenepoel (3rd overall at the Tour) and Wout Van Aert. However it must be understood that even their "helpers" Jasper Stuyven and Tiesj Benoot are not without chances for a result depending on how the race evolves.
Stuyven didn't have a perfect spring, but racing Giro d'Italia and Tour de France allowed him to return to the hoped form with Paris in sight. The Lidl-Trek rider puts so much value in the Olympic race that he even received a permission from his team to leave the French Grand tour earlier - if needed, national coach Sven Vanthourenhout reveals.
"The Games are also very important to Jasper. Before the Tour he called me to say that he could leave the team as soon as it was enough for him. But now it is the case that if he stays healthy, he will finish the Tour. And that is a very good sign," the selector said in an interview in Het Nieuwsblad.
"I really think he will be a very important link in Paris. Because it will be a special race, right?" Vanthourenhout can very well imagine a scenario where Stuyven could be Belgium's back-up plan. "It could easily happen that suddenly fifteen riders ride away without Van Aert, Evenepoel, Pogacar and Van der Poel, but with men like Bettiol, Politt and Laporte. If you then have Stuyven with you - also someone who can go very far and finish a race - you are doing very well."
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- The likelihood of RE improving enough at this point to outclass TP or JV is less than zero.verve82521-12-2024
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- If you look at how much TP progressed in that 1 1/2 years you can no longer say that’s nothing. If Remco improves as much he’s a challenger!Mistermaumau21-12-2024
- Froome wishing to ride the Vuelta...he won't even be selected for the team!frieders320-12-2024
- Keep telling yourself that Remco but you not only have Tadeg to beat but Jonas!frieders320-12-2024
- Seems farfetched - I agree. Mas has beaten him once. Giro d'Emillia I think - 2022mobk20-12-2024
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- Jonas', was 6 years agospock12320-12-2024
- The race where he overnight suddenly turned nuclear after being packfodder at best for several years. His Sky days after that Vuelta and Pogačar’s last season shall remain the darkest post Lance stuff cycling has witnessed. Good riddance Froome.
UltimateOpportunist20-12-2024