Jasper Stuyven keen to bounce back at the Tour de France: "It was not a successful spring"

So far 2023 has been a bit of a disappointment for Lidl-Trek rider, Jasper Stuyven. A third placed finish at the recent Belgian National Championships show signs that things could be about to turn for the better.

And where better to return to your best form than the Tour de France, arguably the biggest race on the cycling calendar. "It was not a successful spring," says Stuyven to In de Leidestrui. "This year I did have the feeling that I was good enough, but it didn't always work out."

Stuyven will begin the Tour de France mainly with the goal of helping Mads Pedersen take victories in the sprint finishes. Nevertheless the 31-year-old Belgian retains hope of adding a Tour de France stage win to his own palmares after taking a victory at the 2015 Vuelta a Espana.

"I didn't race Paris-Nice or Tirreno-Adriatico in March. I, on the other hand, went on an altitude training. I am very satisfied with that choice. Statistically it didn't pay off, but emotionally it sure did," he explains. "In recent years I went to Tenerife for a month for the Tour de France, but now I just went to our altitude hotel in Dénia for two weeks. Moreover, I have been home a little longer than usual."

“I will definitely look for a stage win. But for my type of rider it has turned out in the past that it is not that simple, although I will be chasing a day's success anyway," Stuyven concludes. "In the really flat stages I will do my bit to help Mads as best as possible."