This Friday, the online race of U23 World Championships in Zurich. The Belgian Jarno Widar is cited among the favorites for the event, on a fairly hilly course. Author of an incredible season with the development team of Lotto Dstny – winner of Giro Next Gen last June, winner of the Aosta Valley Tour and winner of theAlps Isère Tour – the Belgian prodigy wants to erase his poor performance during the last Tower of the Futurewhere he finished in 29th place after a failure on the Colle delle Finestre stage. Belgium will line up with a solid team, led in particular by the trio William Junior Lecerf, Jarno Widar And Emiel Verstrynge. At the microphone of the RTBFthe Belgian displays his ambitions.
Video – Jarno Widar winner of the Giro Next Gen 2024
Jarno Widar: “We have six assets”
Despite the impressive startlist for a U23 World Championshipthe Belgian prodigy seems confident about Belgium’s chances of winning the title, which has eluded Belgian riders since its inception in 1996.I think the most important thing is that we ride as one team, and then everything will be fine. The idea is to attack as much as possible, to be offensive and to communicate. If you arrive with a small group, we have some advantages with Emiel Verstrynge and Aaron Dockx, who are fast. Alec Segaert and Robin Orins can leave and try further, they are rollers. And then, there’s still William Junior Lecerf and I to try something on the ribs. We have six assets. I would have preferred longer climbs, because that suits me better. A good result for me would simply be for a Belgian rider to win.“
“If Belgium rides well as a unit, we shouldn’t be afraid of these riders”
Despite many riders having rubbed shoulders with the highest level this year in the World Tour, like Isaac Del Toro (Mexico), the very recent winner of the Tower of the Future Joseph Blackmore (Great Britain) or Jan Christen (Switzerland), who will want to shine at home, the Belgian is not impressed by these competitors. “I’ve never raced against Del Toro before, but I know Blackmore, Jan Christen and Morgado. It’s tough, but if Belgium rides well as a unit, we shouldn’t be afraid of these riders,” concludes Jarno Widar.
