ProTeam Lennert Van Eetvelt: "It will be muddy and therefore even more challenging, but that's not necessarily a disadvantage."

"I wanted to ride here last year already, but then I crashed the week before and had to follow it on television", he says. "So, I'm really looking forward to starting tomorrow. I rode the last 180 kilometers of the course yesterday (Thursday, Ed.), and it was the most beautiful recon I've ever done. The gravel sections were still okay, but today a lot of rain has fallen. Add that wetness to the fact that the women will also ride over the same roads before us, and you get a muddy course that will be even tougher than usual. I think it’s not necessarily a disadvantage. I think the chance of crashes decreases when those gravel roads are a bit wet.”

Van Eetvelt has had a fantastic week, with a stage and the overall victory in the UAE Tour. Unexpectedly, he says. "It was a really strange week. I never expected to win in the Emirates at all. I went there with a top-ten finish in mind until Mario Aerts suggested after a few days that top five could also be possible. It wasn't until after the first mountain stage that I realized there might be more in it. I took the risk to attack in the last stage, and that paid off. I'm extremely happy that I'm already making such big steps forward, I never expected that myself. Maybe in three or four years, yes, but not yet."

Van Eetvelt hopes for a beautiful role for him and teammate Maxim Van Gils this Saturday. "We're both in super good shape, I think a lot is possible. Especially after last week, I'm really looking forward to the course. Although everything has to go right because with the Strade, you never know. I also think that all eyes will be on the same guy tomorrow. A Slovenian in white named Pogacar (laughs)."

Picture: Brecht Steenhouwer