Victor Campenaerts Claims Emotional Victory in Tour of Luxembourg Time Trial

Belgian cyclist Victor Campenaerts of the Lotto Soudal team has emerged victorious in the fourth stage of the Tour of Luxembourg. Campenaerts narrowly won the 23.9 km time trial in Pétange, finishing just a second ahead of Brandon McNulty of UAE Team Emirates.

Campenaerts had entered the Tour of Luxembourg with the goal of performing well in the general classification. However, a disappointing performance on Friday had dashed his hopes. Reflecting on his setback, Campenaerts revealed the personal turmoil he had been facing, saying, “Yesterday was a big disappointment for me because I really wanted to do well here. The run-up to this race was not easy for me. My uncle, my godfather actually, Bob died just before the start of this race. It was very unexpected and, therefore, difficult for me and my father. He told me that there was no better way to honour him than to go to Luxembourg and win for him. So I am very happy that I was able to take this time trial victory with Bob in my head.”

The close margin between Campenaerts and McNulty added to the excitement of the race. Campenaerts expressed his satisfaction, saying, “It was very exciting at the end, and it makes this victory even nicer because it was so close. Cycling is entertainment and winning by just one second makes it even more special.”

This triumph marks Campenaerts’ first time trial victory since the Tirreno-Adriatico in 2019. While he had shifted his focus away from time trials in recent years, the experience still served him well in this race. Campenaerts acknowledged the support of his girlfriend Nel and dedicated the victory to her and his late uncle Bob, saying, “My girlfriend Nel has supported me very hard in recent months and I am very happy to take this victory, for her and especially for Bob.”

Image: Vanvid Multimedia (archive)