Visma domestique will be looking at cracks in Pogacar's armour: "There may be one day where we can make the difference"

Victor Campenaerts signed with Team Visma | Lease a Bike with the role of being a top-tier domestique and with a position at the Tour de France almost assured. The Belgian, now days away from the Grand Boucle, is very motivated and carrying great form in an attempt to dethrone Tadej Pogacar from the top step of the podium.

Campenaerts signed with the Dutch team this season but quickly got used to the new ways of working. “That is mainly why I came to Visma. I am super motivated. The process, the run-up, the Dauphiné, altitude training… That process towards it reminds me of the world hour record. That experience was 95% of the enjoyment. It would be great if we could win that Tour, but it is going to be a difficult task with Tadej," Campenaerts said in an interview with Sporza.

In the past he was a time-trialist or breakaway specialist, often aiming for results of his own instead of being part of a big team block, and he has now found the spark again working for a large and long-term goal. "But the process of preparation is also a beautiful period that I will always remember. Hopefully we can top it off in Paris, but up until now the process has been 100% enjoyment.”

The 33-year old has both supported the classics riders and the GC leaders this year. At Paris-Nice he had been assigned to support Jonas Vingegaard and did so until the Dane abandoned the race, but at the Criterium du Dauphiné there was no-one interrupting the work. “Jonas is incredibly good, a class apart. Only Tadej is too. In the Dauphiné, Jonas's numbers were… And that Tadej still pedals away.” The Belgian knows very well that the task ahead is colossal, but after finishing sixth at the national championships, he believes that when it comes to him at least, the team is as close to ready as could be.

And ultimately, the team will be looking at cracks in Pogacar's armour and look to explore it, as the have in both 2022 and 2023. “... We are definitely going into the Tour as underdogs. He is the overwhelming favorite. We are not going to give Tadej five seconds every day, but in those three weeks there may be one day where we can make the difference. Hope springs eternal. Jonas is in top condition and his teammates are in very good shape. We are looking forward to it.”