Victor Campenaerts after helping ensure breakaway victory on stage 18: "We made the impossible possible"
Cycling
Although it wasn't to be for Victor Campenaerts or his Lotto Dstny teammate Pascal Eenkhoorn, in a dramatic finale to stage 18 of the Tour de France. The efforts of the Belgian powerhouse helped ensure the breakaway held on for the win.
"I wanted to ride in front of him but I got in front too early. With 500 meters to go it was unfortunately over for me," Campenaerts told Sporza in a post-stage interview. "I hoped that Jonas Abrahamsen or Kasper Asgreen would get nervous, so that they immediately started sprinting. They didn't and I think that might cost Pascal the victory."
It was Asgreen who eventually took the win, with Eenkhoorn having to be forced to settle for second place on the day. “I think we handled it well. We said in the team meeting that someone always had to be in a leading group, with the plan not to make too much of a gap on the peloton," said Campenaerts. "In that case, riders could jump to the front runners halfway through the stage. That happened to Pascal, but he wasn't supposed to come alone."
"Then the speed really kicked in and we got up to speed," he continues. “We had to keep riding constantly to keep the peloton off. Unfortunately, someone else eventually takes off with the grand prize. We drove a nice race and really took control of the race. We made the impossible possible, but we didn't finish it."
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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🇫🇷 #TDF2023 A well earned most combative rider award and a trip to @LeTour podium for @VCampenaerts 💪
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