Lennert Van Eetvelt reacts to UAE Tour triumph: "It's incredible, I can't believe it, I gave everything"
CyclingSunday, 25 February 2024 at 13:25
Against all odds, Lennert Van Eetvelt has won the UAE Tour after surprising all his rivals in the final stage. On the final climb to Jebel Hafeet, with leader Jay Vine left and with Ben O'Connor coming out to the numerous attacks he received from Pello Bilbao, the young Belgian took the opportunity and went for the win.
"Unbelievable, I can't believe it," said the still shocked Belgian in his post-stage interview. "This morning they were telling me 'go for it, you can go for the overall', but I told them you have to be realistic. You had to face very strong riders, but that's what I had in my head."
"I gave it my all. I waited for the race to get really hard, the wind was strong, I went out there giving it my all," he concludes. "On Wednesday I was disappointed because I didn't make it, winning the GC and everything, I'm very happy. This winter I improved a lot, I can't be happier now".
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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🏆 Lennert Van Eetvelt se lleva la victoria en Jebel Hafeet 👊 Se ha impuesto al grupo de favoritos que han encabezado Pello Bilbao y Ben O'Connor 🔝 Van Eetvelt se lleva la general por 2 seg. 🥉 Pello Bilbao finaliza 3º #EsenciaCiclista #UAETour
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