ProTeam Brent Van Moer: “My first professional victory was a magical moment.”

Lotto Soudal rider Brent Van Moer experienced many great moments in his second full season as a pro, but also had to deal with a share of bad luck. The 23-year-old Belgian looks back on the past year.

“It has been a very nice year”, Brent Van Moer begins. “When I look back on it, that second place in the penultimate stage of Tirreno-Adriatico was actually the start of a successful season. Of course, it was a pity to come so close to my first pro victory there, but competing for the win at WorldTour level really gave me an incredible kick and provided me with the necessary confidence for the rest of the season.”

“At Tirreno-Adriatico, I was supposed to ride at the service of Caleb Ewan, but because Caleb abandoned the race, I got the chance to show myself in breakaways. And that worked out pretty well. Missing out on my first pro victory by an inch felt like a disappointment, but I wanted to carry the feeling of going for the win through the rest of the season. Partly due to bad luck, the Classics unfortunately didn’t bring what I expected of them. After a long period of rest and a good altitude camp, I returned to competition at the Ronde van Limburg, and I guess everyone remembers what happened there… After the race, I was really disappointed, but soon that feeling was replaced by confidence, because I really felt great that day. That gave me a boost towards the Critérium du Dauphiné, but I really hadn’t expected to compete for a stage win there. I mainly went there to get better and possibly earn a selection for the Tour de France.”

“However, I was fully motivated to start stage one of the Dauphiné. Fifteen minutes before the start, I was already all set and ready to go; my teammates even made fun of me. But I guess I surprised them, because all the pieces of the puzzle fell into place that day. During the final straight, I did think of what happened at the Ronde van Limburg, maybe that gave me the extra bit to prove myself. That first professional victory was just magical. The yellow jersey and the little lion on top of that just made it that extra bit special. It has without a doubt been the highlight of my season.”

“At the Dauphiné, I showed that I can hold my own uphill, but of course it was always a bit of wait and see for a selection for the Tour de France. When I heard that I had been selected, it felt like a dream come true. My first Tour really was unforgettable, the double ascent of the Mont Ventoux gave me goosebumps, all the way from the foot to the summit. I am really grateful to the team that I got the chance to go. I really showed myself, I almost won a stage and finished the Tour with very good sensations.”

“My race schedule for the rest of the season looked really nice, but unfortunately that was all wiped out by a crash during training. Unfortunately, bad luck is sometimes part of a cyclist’s life, you just have to accept it. I am just happy that the fracture healed well and that I could still do some races before the end of the season. That way, I could go into the winter with a good feeling.”

“Many considered 2021 as my breakthrough year. That means that I’ve shown myself and that people will take me into account. Of course, this brings additional expectations for next year. I’ve gained a lot of confidence and I definitely want to show something in the Classics next year. Of course, I hope for an amazing result like the one at the Dauphiné, but I don’t dare to pick a specific race. With a strong team for the Classics, everyone is looking forward to next season and Florian’s podium place at Paris-Roubaix really have us an extra boost. Also, Victor Campenaerts is a rider who has an attractive style of racing. I am convinced that we can show some great things next season”, Brent Van Moer concludes his review of last season.

Images: Photo News.