"Even at the dinner table, I learn from them"; top talent Hagenes at altitude with Van Aert, Benoot, and Tratnik.

Visma | Lease a Bike made one change on Sunday in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne compared to Omloop Het Nieuwsblad on Saturday: young Norwegian Per Strand Hagenes replaced Edoardo Affini, and he performed admirably. Hagenes is now embarking on altitude training with his three teammates Wout van Aert, Jan Tratnik, and Tiesj Benoot on Wednesday, where the atmosphere will undoubtedly be positive.

It was a delightful scene on Sunday after the finish on the Brugsesteenweg in Kuurne. Hagenes had just concluded an interview and was heading towards the Visma | Lease a Bike bus when he was suddenly approached by a group of teenage girls who requested his number. Sporting the jersey of the best team in the world seemed to work wonders, but it turned out they wanted his race number. His 06? "I'll save that for the Norwegian girls," the ever-smiling Hagenes quipped as he passed by.

Moments earlier, Hagenes, pivotal in the breakaway formation as he was last year, recounted his version of the race. "It was a challenging race. I believe it took about sixty kilometers before the breakaway established itself for good, so it was quite lengthy. Then, after about 95 kilometers, we managed to apply pressure on the peloton, resulting in a significant split. There was a strong group with Wout, but more importantly, the breakaway made it incredibly difficult for the peloton to regain control.

Hagenes had been watching Van Aert on TV for a couple of years

Hagenes was in that peloton, neutralizing attacks from riders like Fred Wright and Victor Campenaerts. "If Wout is in a breakaway group, that's obviously a disadvantage for others. So, that scenario worked well for us. He's incredibly strong, but also a genuinely nice guy. As a young rider, it's a great experience to ride alongside him, Tiesj, and basically everyone on the team. They have a wealth of experience, so there's much for me to learn from them. I always keep in mind that there's a lot for me to learn," said the modest twenty-year-old Norwegian.

"I was also pleased with my own performance. The legs felt good, so that's a positive," said the determined rider, who had previously ridden alongside Van Aert in the Tour of the Algarve and Clasica Jaén. "I'm not surprised by Wout's strength because I had been watching him on TV for a few years before joining the team. For me, it's an incredible opportunity to be on the road with this team and to ride alongside all these talented cyclists."

Matteo Jorgenson stood beside him during the interview. As a recent addition to the team, he expressed his admiration for the meticulous race planning. However, what about a young rider from the development team like Hagenes? "We always receive a race plan, but for Kuurne, we only learned the final details on the bus before the race. However, the real strategies, devised by the team leaders, are likely established beforehand," he revealed about the team's approach.

Hagenes is allowed to go for his own chance in the Volta Limburg Classic

Well, now Hagenes embarks on altitude training with Van Aert, Benoot, and Omloop winner Jan Tratnik. You couldn't ask for better companions. He'll be following a similar program in Tenerife, but his race schedule will differ from the aforementioned names. "It's a typical altitude training regimen, but my post-training schedule might vary a bit. I'll be participating in Gent-Wevelgem, Dwars door Vlaanderen, Volta Limburg, and then Roubaix."

It's possible that we'll see Hagenes, last year's winner of the Münsterland Giro and Ronde van Drenthe, contending for victory in the Netherlands during the last weekend of March. "So, in the Volta, I'll likely have more freedom because the other guys are gearing up for the day of The Ronde, just one day later. So, we might have a relatively smaller starting field, but it'll still be a high-quality lineup. It's a fantastic race for me," he shared in conversation with IDLProCycling.com.

Regarding Hagenes joining three of the team's top riders for major races, is this a choice for the present or also partly for the future? "It's a combination. I can learn an incredible amount from Tiesj, Wout, and Jan, but there's also the benefit of improving my form afterward. The primary goal is to learn from the seasoned professionals on the team, observe how they approach things, and gain valuable experience. I always strive for that, even during team meetings and at the dinner table. I'm constantly learning from them. They share many fascinating stories and possess a wealth of knowledge," concludes the amiable, studious rider from Sandnes.