No, it is not an early April Fool’s joke: Laurens De Plus (28) will be at the start of the Tour of Flanders for the first time on Sunday. You don’t really associate the mountain goat with the Flemish cobblestones, but he emphasizes his love for Sunday’s monument. “The team didn’t have to convince me. On the contrary, it was just the opposite.”
In the final straight line to the Tour of Flanders, Ineos Grenadiers is struggling with personnel problems. Luke Rowe and Jhonatan Narvaez are in the rags after falls in Harelbeke and Wevelgem.
The super sub comes from an unexpected source: Laurens De Plus dives into the gap and makes his debut in the Tour of Flanders on Sunday.
Tiens, isn’t De Plus the luxury servant in the stage races and one of the Ineos subscribers for the climbing classics? He laughs and surprises at the same time. “I had already hoped for this during the winter.”
“I had already indicated to the team that I wanted to participate in the Tour at some point and that is now happening due to circumstances. I will therefore grab this opportunity with both hands.”
I had already hoped to participate in the Tour of Flanders during the winter.
Laurens More
“I knew there was a chance and last week I heard in the Tour of Catalonia that Rowe had fallen and was out. Then I was almost certain that I would be at the start.”
“So it was really in my head, although I still had to wait and see how I would digest the tough block with Paris-Nice and Catalonia.”
“If I had been tired, I would have passed. But it turned out well. And I am now in Belgium. No, the team did not have to convince me. It was just the opposite.”
Laurens De Plus makes the switch from the Catalan mountains to the Flemish hills.
Enthusiastic family
“It is fantastic to be able to ride the Tour as a Flemish person,” De Plus continues. “I immediately informed my family and everyone is enthusiastic.”
The climber emphasizes that it is not an acte de présence. “The intention is not just to fill the platoon. I want to try to play a role.”
“We don’t really have a leader due to the absences, so we can race quite openly. There is no hierarchy and we let it all happen to us.”
The Tour is a race of 270 kilometers. “The strong men then come up and I hope to be there myself. If you are fit, you can do something and I have a good feeling.”
It is not the intention to simply be platoon filler. I want to try to play a role.
Laurens More
On Thursday, De Plus went exploring with his mates for another four hours. “That refresher certainly couldn’t hurt. I know the roads, but the Tour route changes a little every year.”
“I have never ridden a Flemish classic before, so I don’t know whether course knowledge is so crucial. Perhaps it is mainly the legs that speak.”
During training, De Plus does not dodge over the cobblestones too often. “I try to avoid that,” he laughs. “And because of the many altitude internships, I am rarely in the Flemish Ardennes anyway.”
Wall of Geraardsbergen
Laurens De Plus also saw the heavy fall in Dwars door Vlaanderen on Wednesday.
“It’s a shitty part of our sport. It also happens a lot in the big tours. I broke my hip in the team time trial of the Vuelta, but it doesn’t stop me. No, it doesn’t deter me.”
De Plus is motivated, also because he actually won his only professional race on cobblestones. “In the 2019 BinckBank Tour I came 3rd in the final stage to Geraardsbergen and won the final classification.”
“Okay, that was in the summer with the Tour in my legs. So I fear that my winning ratio will drop from 100 percent to 50 percent.”
(read more below photo)
Laurens De Plus on the Muur van Geraardsbergen in 2019.
Paris-Roubaix? I would always say yes. I would even like to fly to the Basque Country on Sunday evening, where the round starts on Monday.
Laurens More
“But I’m trying to bring some momentum to the team. It can only be better than expected. I will be satisfied on Sunday if I enjoyed it, if the Tour delivered what I expected.”
“It’s just going to be fun. I’ve never experienced such a starting presentation from Flanders Classics at a Flemish race. I hear from the other riders that it’s a lot of fun. Although I think it’s a shame that the finish is no longer in Ninove” , the Ninovieter winks about a minus.
A week after the Tour, Paris-Roubaix is already on the agenda. Also on that of De Plus? Can the team send an invitation again?
“I always want to race everywhere,” he chuckles. “I would always say yes. I would even like to fly to the Basque Country on Sunday evening, where the round starts on Monday.”
“But I have other and bigger goals in the back of my mind. I also want to be there in July and August.”
“I always have to restrain myself with my program. But a race like the Tour is such a big race. You have to respect that. That motivates you, it keeps you awake at night.”
Laurens De Plus celebrates his final victory in the BinckBank Tour at the Vesten in Geraardsbergen.
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2024-03-29 09:00:32
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