Early on stage 6 of the Vuelta a España sharp-eyed followers can have observed {that a} acquainted determine was on the transfer for the breakaways, as specialist Thomas de Gendt tried his finest to push clear in what will likely be his final ever Grand Tour.
The 37-year-old didn’t handle this time round. However as a rider whose means to make breakaway succeeds now kinds a part of professional biking’s city legends, expectations stay excessive that the Lotto Dstny racer will sooner or later be off the entrance and battling for at the very least one final stage win.
Though younger teammate Lennert van Eetvelt is preventing for the general, sports activities director Mario Aerts advised Cyclingnews this may not have an effect on the Belgian veteran’s alternatives to shine on his personal account.
“For the second we’re nonetheless retaining all our choices open,” Aerts mentioned. “Thomas is Thomas, and when wanted he’ll do his job for Lenny. And if there’s a likelihood on one of many days for Thomas, then why not?”
De Gendt is using his twenty fifth Grand Tour and are available what could, they are going to be celebrating his five hundredth day of racing in biking’s high three-week races on stage 20. The 37-year-old says, on condition that day will likely be one of many hardest of your complete Vuelta and an enormous GC stage, his possibilities of going for a win will likely be minimal. Nonetheless, if there are different alternatives to go for his eleventh Grand Tour stage win and second up to now within the Vuelta a España, he’ll be sure you attempt to take it.
“I am in good condition, higher than the remainder of the 12 months, however I will must see whether or not I am ok,” De Gendt advised Cyclingnews earlier this week.
“Even with my finest type, I feel I would have a tough time to win a stage as a result of in biking the extent has risen a bit greater than my stage was rising within the final weeks. I simply hope it is ok to be in a break however I do know it is going to be tough.”
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The route this 12 months is just not beneficial to the sprinters, with simply 4 or 5 alternatives at finest and there are fewer transition phases than typical, too. However no matter how the organisers have tailored the route consequently, De Gendt says the important thing issue is, as ever, getting in the best break with the best riders. As for the 2024 Vuelta a España, the absence of three main figures, Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep), Jonas Vingegaard (Visma-Lease a Bike) and Tadej Pogačar (UAE Crew Emirates) makes his personal mission notably simpler.
“There are some days which might be actually good for breaks this 12 months, and even when it is a mountain or summit end on the finish it is nonetheless acquired potentialities,” De Gendt mentioned.
“You simply must have the best riders with you that you may beat on a climb and the liberty to manoeuvre as you need. To win, I simply must get some freedom.”
“That is why it is necessary there is not any Remco, Vingo’ or Pog’ within the race as a result of in the event that they had been right here, these groups all the time shut the hole to get a stage win themselves. However this Vuelta is, I feel, extra like a standard Grand Tour race.”
The dearth of sprinting phases has already had one impact, De Gendt says, which is to suffocate the breakaways on the few flat days up to now within the Vuelta. So the primary time he made a transfer was on stage 6, the place – except the GC stage to Villuercas – the fastmen had no likelihood of victory.
“I already knew there aren’t so many dash days and solely three or 4 actual sprinters this 12 months within the race,” De Gendt mentioned.
“In order that makes it actually tough to win on days like phases 2 or 3, as a result of you already know that the sprinters’ groups will likely be sure to manage issues. And so at kilometre zero, they had been all lined up on the entrance, ensuring there weren’t too many riders up there within the breaks.”
“It could have been silly to assault on these days, possibly if you happen to needed the King of the Mountains jersey, however not for the stage. Even when there have been 5 – 6 riders, they’d nonetheless have had no likelihood.”
De Gendt could also be flattening the curtain on the breakaways and all the opposite options of his skilled life very quickly, however as he advised Cyclingnews, any sense of nostalgia sparked by the upcoming finish to his 16-year profession has but to hit dwelling.
“The Vuelta is just not my closing race, I’ll nonetheless do the Italian Classics after that. So for for the second at the very least, it is similar to one of many many Grand Excursions you do. You simply attempt to do the perfect you may, eat the perfect you may, and save as a lot vitality wherever you may.
“I haven’t got any emotions about it but, though possibly on the final day of the Vuelta as that”ll in all probability be my final time trial, that’ll change. However for now, I am simply concentrating on the racing and staying focussed, all over to the tip.”
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