Lazkano wants to set the record straight: "I got a silly question and gave a silly answer"

Oier Lazkano caused a sensation in 2023 with a second-place finish in Dwars door Vlaanderen. The following year, he proved he was no one-hit wonder with a series of strong performances in the Flemish spring classics. His efforts in Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne were particularly impressive. Lazkano also frequently showcased his skills as an attacker, which earned him a move to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. Sporza spoke with the strong all-rounder.

"I’m very happy to have made the switch to Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe. The team has confidence in me, and vice versa. This new chapter will give me opportunities," said Lazkano, who looks forward to racing the classics with a strong team. Once again, the rider’s focus is on the Flemish classics. "I just love racing in Flanders. Not because of the weather, I don’t like the rain," said Lazkano, who described the element of unpredictability as the appeal of the Flemish races. "The classics guarantee a spectacle. There’s no fixed script, and there are always surprises, even though we often race on the same routes in Flanders."

"I don’t know why, but I'd rather ride the Tour of Flanders over Roubaix," continued Lazkano, who dared to voice his greatest ambition. "I dream of becoming the first Spaniard ever to win the Tour of Flanders." At Movistar, Lazkano often found himself racing solo, but at Red Bull-BORA-hansgrohe, he can count on strong teammates, including Laurence Pithie and the brothers Mick and Tim van Dijke. With all these united forces, Lazkano believes it’s possible to challenge the top favorites. "Within our team, we don’t have a leader who can go head-to-head with Pogacar, Van der Poel, and Van Aert (Tadej, Mathieu, and Wout, ed.), but we do have a very strong team overall. We need to use that strength strategically," said Lazkano.

Lazkano addresses striking ambition

Finally, Lazkano wanted to clear up a misunderstanding in the interview. During the team presentation at the last Tour of Flanders, he was introduced on stage as "the rider who also wanted to become a porn actor." "But of course, that’s not true," said Lazkano. "Before the start of the E3 Harelbeke, I was asked a silly question (by a group of students), and I gave a silly answer," he explained the origin of the misunderstanding. "That’s just who I am. I’m serious when I need to be, but I also enjoy joking around. The riders know that by now, and so do the cycling fans," Lazkano concluded with a smile.

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