For Victor Campenaerts, the time trial chapter is currently closed. The world hour record holder has been aiming for classic work since last season, but Campenaerts would not be Campenaerts if he is not always looking for untrodden paths to realize his goals.
In order to be in ideal condition for spring, he will soon choose a striking location to prepare. Together with teammates Brent Van Moer and Florian Vermeersch, he will travel to Rwanda in East Africa.
“I am very happy that Lotto-Soudal wants to support me in that plan,” says Campenaerts. “I have already been to Namibia twice. As a time trialist that was a very good preparation, but the asphalted roads in that country are almost all flat. So I was now looking for a location where I could ride more uphill.”
Most riders nowadays opt for Mount Teide on Tenerife to gain altitude gain in the winter, but Campenaerts fits in with a preparation where he has to ride up and down the same mountain every day.
“I definitely don’t want to go to Teide for that reason. That’s not the ideal preparation for me. And what I’ve learned from all the traveling as a rider is that actually a lot of cycling is done all over the world.”
“In Namibia I was told that there are many more options in Rwanda in terms of different courses and that a lot is invested in sports tourism.”
“You can also fly there directly from Brussels. Another advantage compared to Namibia.”
Three red outfits from Lotto-Soudal will therefore be on display for a month in January on Rwandan roads, neighboring Congo. The team also sends a caretaker, a doctor and a bicycle mechanic.
“That is not a superfluous luxury, because you drive there on the equator, so extra drinking bottles will not hurt,” Campenaerts laughs.
