He was one of the strong men of the 2024 season. Winner of the general classification of two WorldTour events, the UAE Tour and the Tour of Guangxi, Lennert Van Eetvelde has changed status. The Lotto rider will be particularly expected throughout a 2025 season where he will participate in the Tour de France and the Vuelta but also… the Tour of Flanders. DirectVelo took stock with the 23-year-old Belgian climber.
DirectVelo: How is your preparation going?
Lennert Van Eetvelt: I spent the last few weeks in Spain. I took the time to recharge the batteries mentally and physically. I can't wait for 2025. Last season started very well with success at the UAE Tour. Then it took a long time to get back to a good level. I had to wait for the Clasica San Sebastian to find my best feelings again. I was able to end on a very positive note by winning the Tour of Guangxi. Therefore, it gives me a lot of confidence for the coming season.
What is your program in 2025?
I will start the season at the UAE Tour. Then I will do the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Strade Bianche. I will go to the Tour of Catalonia. The big news will be the Tour of Flanders. I will also compete in the Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. The first block will mainly be based on explosiveness. Then I'll focus on the actual climbing. It starts with the Tour de Romandie. I cut to the Tour de France with the exception of the Belgian Championship. I will do the Tour de France to win a stage and the Tour of Spain to aim for the general classification. Finally, we will have to see a little between the World Championship in Rwanda or the Tour of Lombardy. Personally, I think I prefer to bet on the Tour of Lombardy because the World Championship in Rwanda will draw a lot of energy. I want to be competitive on the last monument of the season.
So you are going to defend your title at the UAE Tour. To achieve the pass of two, you will have to beat Tadej Pogacar.
It will be complicated, if not impossible, to extend my coronation in the United Arab Emirates. However, I didn't want to avoid confrontation. This is how we progress. Plus, I think it's the perfect race to start with. It's less dangerous in my opinion.
“IT REMAINS THE TOUR OF FLANDERS”
Why are you going to compete in the Tour of Flanders?
I asked to do it. Firstly, I am Flemish and it remains the Tour of Flanders. Secondly, when you want to become a Grand Tour rider, there is often a stage in the form of a Classic. It's not bad to go and test myself on this terrain.
With what ambition are you going to go there?
I'm not going there to compete with Pogacar, Van der Poel or van Aert. I want to do the best race possible and above all make a solid duo with Arnaud De Lie. If I manage to finish in the Top 10, that would already be great.
Have you asked to do other Flemish Classics?
We have already hesitated for a long time to include the Tour of Flanders in the program. Disputing others was not part of our schedule. It is important not to do too much during the spring because I will be competing in two Grand Tours. I find it important to preserve recovery time between races. The best runners make money on their racing days. This is why I also decided not to do the Tour de Suisse. Furthermore, as I am going to the Tour de France for a stage victory, the Tour de Suisse seems less necessary to me.
“SIGN RESULTS IN EUROPE”
Who will support you in this program?
Reuben Thompson will be my lieutenant. He did not have many results the last two seasons with Groupama-FDJ but with the Espoirs, he showed that he had good skills in the mountains (He won the Tour du Val d’Aosta in 2021, Editor’s note).
What result would you be satisfied with in 2025?
I won two WorldTour events in 2024. It was great but they are still events outside the European continent. I now want to achieve results in Europe. A stage on the Tour de France would be great. The most important thing is to have an injury-free season.
You have knee problems in 2024. You only had 36 days of racing. Are you susceptible to injuries?
It's true that I rarely have a worry-free season. Probably because I often tend to overdo it. That's why I really want to give my body the rest it needs.
