In the royal sprint, Sunday, in Zottegem, at the end of a vigorously fought Belgian championship, Arnaud De Lie attracted all the attention with his authoritarian victory against the tenors who are Jasper Philipsen, Tim Merlier or Wout van Aert . At the finish, in the top 10, a few meters from Taureau de Lescheret with whom he began his career in the Kid’s Trophy mountain bike events, we also find Laurenz Rex. With his eighth place, the rider from Raeren confirmed what he told us at the start.
”I’m at a better level than I expectedsaid this year’s winner of the Samyn. I didn’t think I could feel this good on the bike!”
guillementI didn’t think I could feel so good on the bike, I’m at a better level than expected.
His performance, Sunday, on the National, “at the end of a race of 220 kilometers of rare intensity” gave him confidence ahead of his first Tour de France.
A big meeting that he has had in his sights since this winter since his Intermarché-Wanty team had already assured him of its participation in the most famous of the yellow jersey events. Well before his victory at the Samyn and his confirmation of his potential in the classics, despite a Flandrian campaign marked by bad luck, with several falls.
”I’ve known for a long time that I’m going to the Tour de France, but now I really feel the stress rising, the pressure comingcontinues Tim’s big brother, author of a very interesting season among the hopefuls within the development team of the Intermarché-Wanty structure (Wanty-ReUz-Technord). It’s a bit crazy to feel this pressure coming, this stress building, to tell myself that I’m going to leave this Wednesday for the Tour de France.”
However, the ninth in Paris-Roubaix 2023 is starting to have experience at the level of major events. “But this is a notch above! There is a particular pressure, which I cannot describe. It’s still the Tour. The race that everyone knows, the biggest test in the world. It’s really a pride to go there, an honor.”
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And he’s not just going there to make up the numbers. He goes there with a real mission. That of winning a stage or doing everything to help a teammate win during these three weeks. To achieve this milestone success that his team has been chasing for several seasons. “That’s the point. We will have a great team to get this victory. The roles are well shared, everyone will have a chance. I will obviously help Biniam Girmay, I will be in his lead-out for the sprints. But we will also have advantages in breakaways.”
Including Laurenz Rex himself. “On the stages which will not climb too much and which will not be for sprinters. On the days with a chance for the adventurers to go to the end.”
What are his childhood memories of the Tour de France? “I especially remember that my father, who rode a bike, recorded the stages of the Tour on video tapes at the time, to watch them while riding… It was the era of Lance Armstrong.”
Hardworking and joker, Laurenz Rex is unanimous
