Incredible… While he seemed set to be crushed on the line by the Belgian Wout Van Aert, Christophe Laporte was crowned European champion this Sunday in Assen, in the Netherlands. The Varois, escaped 12 km from the goal, held off his usual teammate at Jumbo-Visma, as well as the Dutchman Olav Kooij, another Jumbo rider, and the Belgian Arnaud De Lie (Lotto-Dstny). “It was a crazy finish,” reacted the hero of the day after the race. To win in the sprint in front of guys like De Lie and Van Aert is completely crazy. »
Forced to retire at the beginning of August at the world championships in Glasgow, Laporte overcame his disappointment to become the first Frenchman to win a European championship, an event created in 2016.
“I dedicate this victory to the French team, to my family,” said the winner in the spring of the Ghent-Wevelgem and A Travers la Flanders classics. I also think of Nathan. » The Belgian Nathan Van Hooydonck announced last Wednesday that he would have to end his career, at the age of 27, a week after being the victim of an accident due to feeling unwell while driving. A cardiac arrhythmia was discovered and this teammate of Laporte had to have a pacemaker fitted.
The Jumbo-Visma is doing well. Already author of an incredible hat-trick at the Tour of Spain (Kuss-Vingegaard-Roglic), she signed another this Sunday at the European Championship.