Development Victor Vaneeckhoutte rides solo to victory in the West Bohemia Tour

The race in the Czech Republic kicked off yesterday with a prologue. In today’s first stage around Rokycany it immediately kicked off with several attacks, where Victor Vaneeckhoutte was always present in the front for the Lotto Dstny Devo Team. After 90 kilometers there was a hard climb and six riders escaped, with Vaneeckhoutte.

“I felt really well. As the race was on immediately, I always tried to keep some reserves in my legs. When we escaped with six, Milan (De Ceuster) and Steffen (De Schuyteneer) who were better placed in the general classification were in a group behind so I actually wanted to wait for them. If they wouldn’t come back then I had to keep something in my legs”, Vaneeckhoutte explains.

On 23 kilometers from the finish the 18-year-old Vaneeckhoutte attacked, on the steep Lhůta climb. “I didn’t see any reaction of the other riders, so I pushed as hard as possible to the finish. To finish it off means a lot, after a difficult year with ups and downs. I had some knee problems and couldn’t race and train as much as I wanted to. This season nothing was a must anymore, everything is a bonus. I’m super happy and hope to defend my lead in the general classification.”

Picture: Jan Brychta