‘My legs were cramping so hard’ – Lennert Van Eetvelt survives for seventh at Il Lombardia after struggling to eat

After struggling to eat throughout the six hours of racing at Il Lombardia, 23-year-old Lennert Van Eetvelt (Lotto Dstny) survived cramps to take seventh in simply his second Monument look. 

The Belgian was utterly exhausted on the line in Como, opting to lie straight on the tarmac as he tried to recuperate after a full fuel day within the saddle. 

In the long run, he was simply delighted to have made it and never utterly capitulated within the closing 48km after race winner Tadej Pogačar (UAE Crew Emirates) attacked solo and left the remainder of the sphere in his wake.

“I am comfortable I am right here, I am comfortable I completed. I stated it earlier than, I did not have the most effective legs at present,” stated Van Eetvelt to reporters on the end.

“I used to be actually stunned and I used to be actually afraid of the final climb. My legs had been cramping so exhausting and I am comfortable I’ve made it.”

Van Eetvelt was racing for the primary time since abandoning the Vuelta a España with respiratory issues and was nicely within the combat for the rostrum alongside Remco Evenepoel (Soudal-QuickStep) and Enric Mas (Movistar) after bridging throughout solo on the Colma di Sormano. 

Nevertheless, by this level, the consequences of not with the ability to eat set in and Van Eetvelt started to battle and was barely in a position to provide help to his compatriot and Mas of their chase of Pogačar, earlier than Evenepoel ultimately set off on his personal to take second. 

“At first of the race, I already felt it was perhaps not my greatest day. I used to be somewhat nauseous and had bother consuming so I could not actually eat lots,” revealed the Belgian. 

“After three or 4 hours it is nonetheless positive however after 5 or 6 you actually really feel it and I used to be considering perhaps I might simply must do my very own tempo on the climb after which see.

“However when Tadej went, I attempted to observe Remco only for myself and for individuals at dwelling as a result of it is the final race of the season so I additionally wished to point out one thing.”

Upon reflection, there was some remorse in Van Eetvelt’s feedback having tried to stay with Evenepoel for thus lengthy and never simply ridden his personal tempo. This led to him taking seventh within the closing having been caught by Pavel Sivakov (UAE Crew Emirates) Giulio Ciccone (Lidl-Trek) and Ion Izagirre (Cofidis) on the descent into Como and shedding the diminished dash.

“On the Colma di Sormano, I used to be stunned that I may observe Remco for thus lengthy. On reflection it may not have been the most effective concept to strive that, as a result of I did not have my greatest day,” stated Van Eetvelt to dwelling broadcaster Sporza.

“I might have preferred to experience with Remco, however I used to be combating the cramps and I used to be really stunned that I used to be there. I used to be actually on the restrict. Did I take into consideration the rostrum? At a sure level, sure, however I additionally felt my legs.”

It has been an amazing season of ups and downs for Van Eetvelt, who after taking general victory on the UAE Tour and eleventh at Strade Bianche was sidelined for greater than three months after present process knee surgical procedure and being hit by a automotive in coaching. He then bounced again totally with third at San Sebastian earlier than impressing on the Vuelta forward of affected by the respiratory issues as talked about. 

With this seventh at Lombardia, Van Eetvelt has closed out the European season on a excessive, and his 12 months is not over but as he travels now to China for the ultimate WorldTour race of the season – the Gree-Tour of Guangxi.

“Lots of ups quite a lot of downs however I am comfortable now I can have an as much as finish the season,” he stated. “I hadn’t raced for a month earlier than Lombardy. So I am nonetheless moderately contemporary on the finish of the 12 months.