Jasper Schoofs was his advantage last Tuesday, during the fifth stage of the Tour de Bretagne. Present in the breakaway of five elements, the resident of Sudal-Quick Step Devo Team was able to play the victory. But he did not go perfectly in the final. “I made a little mistake because I rolled to come back to Antoine the host who had just attacked, and it was perhaps not up to me to plug the gap. But I am still hope 1, so I have to learn and try things. Sometimes, we commit faults, but we learn for the future”entrusts to the microphone of Directive The Belgian, who is still satisfied with his 5th place on arrival in Guenrouët (Loire-Atlantique). “It was a good day for me”.
After a second very successful junior year (See your Directvelo sheet), the winner of the last Directvelo Belgium Juniors challenge was injured in the knee last winter. “The period was difficult. I started to feel pain on November 16 and it would get worse over the training the following days. So I cut completely for a month and I went back in the saddle on January 14”. This judgment deprived the former vice-champion of Belgium of Cyclo-cross junior of the plows.
“My physical condition had to improve clearly”
In the offseason, Jasper Schoofs therefore joined the Sudal-Quick Step reserve, after carrying out his two junior years at Acrog-Tormans. “They had contacted me for a long time. I had already signed in my first U19 season. I am really happy to be part of their team, it’s like a big family”. For his first pro race, the Touraine wheel (1.1) at the end of March, he was escaped for almost 170 kilometers, before being taken over at a dozen terminals from the finish. Federico Savino teammate, 4th in the general classification of the Tour de Bretagne (see rankings), he intends to take advantage of the kilometers recently accumulated in the French class 2, to perform this Sunday, in Kattekoers, the Espoirs version of Gand-Wevelgem. “I think that after these seven consecutive days of racing, my physical condition had to improve clearly. I like the pavers, I hope of course to distinguish myself, even if the level is also very high”.
The world’s vice-champion, Europe and Belgium of the 2024 junior chrono has not yet been able to play a time trial since the start of the season. He was deprived of the U23 Belgian U23 championship on May 1, being present on the Tour de Bretagne. “I will try to do it when there will be. But I focus first on online races. We will then see the possibilities that arise. Likewise, we will advise after summer if I can participate in one or two races with the Worldteam. My goal is already to be in the best of my form”. He seems on the right path.
