Victor Campenaerts: "I’m no Tadej, Van der Poel or Van Aert, so I think with the capacities I have, I’ve probably achieved the most I can in the way of my own palmares"
Cycling
Victor Campenaerts has in the past been part of Team Visma | Lease a Bike, but his 2025 return is unlike any other team transfer he's done in the past. He talks of the big differences over the past few months after moving in with the Dutch team and his role as a domestique for the team.
He actually says that it was quite the struggle to switch bikes and adapt to his new Cervello. "The frame itself isn’t too difficult to adjust to, but every contact point between my body and the bike is new: the saddle, handlebars, and pedals. I'm neurotic and that adjustment caused me quite a bit of stress initially," Campenaerts shared with Het Laatste Nieuws.
His change of pedals was also quite the hassle as well: "This setup brings your feet closer to the bike's axle, offering a significant aerodynamic advantage and improved pedaling efficiency. However, getting the cleats positioned correctly was no small feat."
In short, there were difficult moments of adaptation on his return year to World Tour level, but not all is bad, as he also admits that nutrition has become much less of an issue in his day-to-day life now supported by the team's logistics and nutrition app. "At Lotto, we also had access to dietitians to determine what and how much we could eat, but as a rider, it still felt like a chore to weigh out your meals".
"Using the app has significantly reduced the stress of weighing food because fewer steps are needed. It makes life both easier and more professional, whereas usually, you have to choose between the two. I have to admit, I was positively overwhelmed when I started using the app. I find myself approaching meals with a different mindset now."
UAE Team Emirates have reinforced themselves with young talents and rouleurs this winter. The importance of riders who can be road captains and help on the flat days is massive nowadays and Visma recognized this. Signing Campenaerts in this new role is a very big move that can be quite beneficial, and it came at a perfect timing as the Belgian finally feels ready to switch roles.
"I’m no Tadej, Van der Poel or Van Aert, so I think with the capacities I have, I’ve probably achieved the most I can in the way of my own palmarès. Now I’m keen for team success. I want to be part of the puzzle," he concluded.
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- I see your point BTW, as I said, maybe go for green one year or something. his long winded response is typical - pointless, self promoting, and needlessly wordy LOL. oh and he is smarter than all.mij06-01-2025
- His last important race before the Tour is P-R and his next important race after is CX WC 2026 since he has no chance at the WCRR So unless he really goes into MTB this season, there's really no reason to skip a TdF and compete for a few stages and yellow jersey at the beginningvappaxbipmv06-01-2025
- How I can say that? Let’s look at the spirit of it and put it into context. Firstly, we are all cycling fans, we have been for a while, we’ve almost all been here a while too so have absorbed some feeling for each commentators style. For those of you who might not understand, I post with the assumption, we all know enough background not to have to explain every thought with 3 paragraphs of background to justify a statement. I also don’t waste my time repeating mundanity, I try to bring a more original angle or stone to any discussion that creates a more complete picture of the whole story (often not told). So, as far as I see, and I’ve said it before, MVDP is kind of unique in racing just about 12 months a year. He races to win, ie, he also trains for that, ie he has to train to peak more than a dozen times a year as opposed to typical road racers (including Jonas, Remco* and to a lesser extent WVA and Pog) who try to peak 1-around 3, 4 max half a dozen x a year). Obviously, training for a three week race and doing it is going to put a dent in results before and after and maybe even as far as the “off-season” (when he is at his most active winning xc week after week after week for years. Do you see my point a bit better now?Mistermaumau06-01-2025
- Sorry, maybe you thought I meant on TV? Obviously, most of the big fans in Belgium watching these two would take the opportunity to go watch live. I was once unlucky the TdF passed right near my house (when I lived in the south of France) it was over in 30 seconds, all 180 riders.Mistermaumau06-01-2025
- How can you say that, last season he had 7! race days before the Tour, that's neither a lot nor oftenvappaxbipmv06-01-2025
- It would be interesting to see if he could go for a green jersey onetime. Considering his penchant for winning everything possible, I’m surprised he doesn’t try this once.mij06-01-2025
- I am disappointed that we ever give Broyneel a public platform again. Boonen is a former star, and why should Bruyneel’s disgraced opinion ever matter, let alone be published. Bruyneel has forever disgraced by the Cycling profession, and never deserves a public platform again. He is entitled to his personal opinion on talented cyclists, but those opinions should never be published or printed. We need to forget him in the professional sport of cycling. As a cyclist and father, I never want my children to even know about him, unless it’s how he orchestrated a cheating doping program.GMG06-01-2025
- It seems like every 3 years a new French kid pops up as the wonderkid, the savior to finally redeem France in their own race, including Bardet, Pinot, Rolland, Barguil, Gaudu, Martin, but it never quite materializes. I hope Seixas is finally the guy. I'm not a Frenchman, but I'd be happy to see them do it for once. If it should happen, how do you think France would celebrate?Ride197406-01-2025
- oh, crap, maybe i’m OBSESSIVE! i’ll have to spend some time thinking about that, over and over, as if it were a looped tape, playing in over and over and over in my head, forever…OCexile05-01-2025
- A far more interesting article would have been Patrick complaining of MVDP being as or more popular than Remco ;-) but it may be too late now, I get the feeling the tables turned after the summer.Mistermaumau05-01-2025