Van Eetvelt ends with second overall WorldTour victory: "Gives me a confidence boost after a difficult season"

Lennert Van Eetvelt held his ground in the final stage of the Tour of Guangxi, winning his second WorldTour stage race of the year. He also celebrated his victory in the UAE Tour at the end of February. "You don't win a World Tour race alone; the team worked incredibly hard," the overall winner reflected on teammates' hard work in a press release.

Van Eetvelt hit his stride on the steep final climb of the second-to-last stage. However, the differences in the GC were still so small that he had to be attentive in the final stage. Moreover, the course was tricky, with five passes on a steep climb. "It was a tough day from start to finish," Van Eetvelt said. "It was pretty exciting at times. The team had to work hard when a breakaway group drove away. And even on the last lap, the attacks kept coming."

"If Oscar Onley (dsm-firmenich PostNL, ed.) - second in the GC - had finished second in the stage, or if someone had attacked in the last kilometer...," Van Eetvelt named the uncertainties during the stage. "Many scenarios were possible, and we were under tension until the end. Fortunately, I had a good day, and the rest of the team did a great job. Winning a World Tour race is not something you do alone, and today proved that once again."

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Van Eetvelt: "Never expected to reach this level in October"

It may be considered unusual for Van Eetvelt to win a WorldTour stage race of the year in both the first and last stages of the season. Much of the season in between fell through due to a persistent knee injury and a collision during a training ride in Tenerife. "Most years, I end my season somewhere in the rain, wondering what I'm doing,' Van Eetvelt said with a laugh. 'But now, because I took a break after the Vuelta, I feel excellent."

For Van Eetvelt, the season could have gone on a few more months. "I feel very fresh. Two weeks ago, I had another 30-hour training week, and I'm delighted that all that hard work paid off so late in the year. I never expected to reach this level at the end of October. It gives me a lot of confidence after a difficult season. Moreover, I can now enjoy a peaceful vacation, which feels good."