ProTeam Neo-pro Van Eetvelt impresses with third place at Trofeo Andratx

Lotto Dstny rider Lennert Van Eetvelt has immediately showed himself in what was only his second day of racing as a pro. At the third race of the Mallorca Challenge, the 21-year-old Belgian climbed – under rainy conditions - towards third place on the Mirador des Colomes in Pollença. On the three kilometres long summit finish, the already reduced peloton split to pieces and it was Van Eetvelt who showed to be one of the strongest riders of the day. Van Eetvelt finished behind the Spaniard Sánchez and Belgian Goossens and took his first podium, only one month into his pro career. Lotto Dstny rode an attentive race with also Mathijs Paasschens, who was part of the early breakaway.

Lennert Van Eetvelt: “Honestly, I wasn’t thinking about a result at the end of the race, it was especially a case of reaching the finish as fast as possible after a freezing day out on the bike. I even went to the team car at four kilometres from the line to get an extra jersey because I was so cold. Afterwards, I rode to the top as fast as I could, which eventually resulted in my first podium at the pros, which of course makes me really happy.”

“To be honest, I had imagined my first time on the island of Mallorca a bit differently. The bad weather made the roads really slippery and tricky. Despite the weather conditions, the race exploded quite early on today. In the beginning, I already got in a move but was brought back. On the final climb, the temperature dropped to only two degrees and it was just a matter of surviving. At some twenty kilometres from the finish, there was a moment of hesitation in the peloton and we knew the victory was gone. That I could still finish third makes this a very nice day of course.”

Lennert Van Eetvelt is already fulfilling his promises straight away, as the 21-year-old told us earlier in an interview on our website that he wanted to show himself in his first professional year.

Images: Photo News.