ProTeam Strong 9th place for Lennert Van Eetvelt after grueling Strade Bianche

Doing better than last year—that was the goal Lennert Van Eetvelt had in mind when he started in Siena this morning. And he succeeded. After finishing eleventh in the 2024 Strade Bianche, he impressively crossed the finish line in ninth place on the Piazza del Campo this time. "I am completely empty, absolutely shattered," gasped Lennert Van Eetvelt afterward. "As soon as Tadej Pogačar made his move, the lights slowly started to go out. The last hour, the last 40 kilometers, was pure survival."

Tadej Pogačar attacked on Saturday afternoon—almost a copy-paste of last year—about 70 kilometers from the finish. "Respect to Tom Pidcock, who was still able to follow. Last year, he was the one in our chasing group who said it felt like we were in the grupetto behind Pogačar. And this time, it felt the same. We had no chance, even though we rotated better than last year. Everyone was just empty, we were like a group of dying swans. I'm just glad I made it to the finish in one piece."

Picture: Brecht Steenhouwer