Lotto Dstny leaders Florian Vemeersch and Lennert Van Eetvelt back in action at Belgian Championships after long injuries

Both Florian Vemeersch and Lennert Van Eetvelt will make their comeback this week on behalf of Lotto Dstny. Vermeersch will only turn up for the road race while Van Eetvelt is due to ride time trial as well. The Belgian team is looking forward to having its leaders back in action for second half of the season.

"The most difficult moments are already behind us," the Belgian said in mid-March in the context of his recovery process. "The first ten days in the hospital in particular were very difficult. You are then forced to lie in bed and cannot do anything. Fortunately I have made some progress and can move again. That also means more freedom."

"Normally I would not return to racing until August, but I feel so good that I wanted to start earlier again," Vermeersch said in his team's press release. "I thought: let's start at the Belgian Championships and see what happens next. At this point I have been able to train for two months without any problems. Everything has been restored well. However, I cannot say much about my level yet, as I have of course not raced. After the NC it will take a while before I race again. After all, there are few other options during the Tour."

Van Eetvelt, in turn, participates in both the road trial and the time trial. The 22-year-old top talent had previously been dealing with a knee problem for some time, after which, to make matters worse, he was hit by a car during a training ride at the end of May. "I'm increasingly feeling like a rider again," he sounded hopeful in the same communique. "My condition is getting better, so that's good. I will of course start at the Belgian Championships without any expectations. It is especially important that I can be among my teammates again and wear a jersey number again."