In recent weeks, Victor Campenaerts has lived in great uncertainty about his future. Bjarne Riis did not find a sponsor and left the ship. Campenaerts saw with sorrow that the case was not getting ahead.
Yesterday, founder of the team Douglas Ryder suddenly came with good news for the pins and announced a new main sponsor. Much to the relief of Campenaerts, who can also call himself a professional cyclist in 2021.
“I will remain a professional in a WorldTour team, which is really a great relief”, Campenaerts told Sporza.
“The Giro in October was my last race of the season. You are lived a little in it and there is little time to worry, because you have to perform.”
“As soon as that match ends, you go from a very busy life to a stress-free life, but then the uncertainty about that contract came and you start to think a lot. That was difficult.”
“I was able to change my mind because of my move and by doing some odd jobs, but I am very happy that I now have certainty for 2021.”
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Not that Campenaerts had stopped short. His creative mind bubbled up against the stars.
“I was already thinking about a career after cycling, because I would like to become a firefighter. That job really appeals to me.”
“Before I became a cyclist, I studied for a year. But then I asked my parents if I could stop because I wanted to become a cyclist.”
“That was allowed, on the condition that I paid 250 euros a month at home. So I had to have a job to pay that 250 euros and then I went to the fire brigade. Problem: because I did not yet have a driver’s license, I was not allowed to participate in the entrance exams. Now I could do that. “
Nevertheless, Campenaerts was also hatching other plans. “If no team would still want me in 2021, as an individual rider I would have first launched a new attack on the world hour record.”
“Then an Ironman was scheduled to qualify for the Hawaii triathlon, where I wanted to break the cycling record.”
“That could be very interesting for bicycle manufacturers, because nobody buys a time trial bike. But triathletes need the best time trial bike and that way I could have advertised such a bike.”
“It was all very concrete. It was a great project for which I had already found partners. But I may be able to use that plan later.”
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Campenaerts’ girlfriend Fanny Lecluyse is also happy that the pressure is off.
“Because of our relocation, Victor has remained quite positive in recent weeks. He tried to walk around happily, but the nights were still difficult. He had trouble falling asleep because he was busy with his future.”
On Sunday evening you can watch a report with Victor Campenaerts and Fanny Lecluyse in Sports Weekend, immediately after Het Journaal from 19h op Eén. In it you can see the couple making sushi, among other things.
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