A phenomenal season has earned Thomas De Gendt a spot in this year’s Tour de France. His team, Vacansoleil-DCM will be making their debut and is taking De Gendt along to take part in the biggest race of his career.
The 24 year old has had in impressive season from the start when he finished second on a stage at the Tour Down Under, the traditional season opener. He then went one better in Paris-Nice when he won the first stage, seconds ahead of a charging peloton. The gutsy Belgian displayed an aggressive style of racing that saw him go on the attack to reclaim the leader’s jersey twice during the French race.
Recently in the Tour de Suisse he showed that his impressive start to the season was no accident when he again went on the attack on stage seven. He won that day, holding off Andy Schleck (Leopard Trek) by 35 seconds on a mountain top finish.
However, with three victories in total this year, De Gendt knows there’s no race like the Tour de France. "I'm going there primarily to learn, but if I have a good day I will try to get involved in an escape," he told Sporza.
"I had the Vuelta in mind, but when the team asked me [to go to the Tour], I didn't have to think long."
One reason De Gendt accepted the invitation is because next year he is certainly to miss the race as he is getting married a day before it starts.
The Dutch team has had a successful first year in the top tier of the sport with eighteen victories thus far. They hope to add to that tally by the end of July.
"We have to attack from the first stage", says assistant manager Jean-Paul van Poppel. "It would be good if we are able to battle for a stage win that way".
Van Poppel has himself won nine stages in the Tour. His experience will be invaluable to Borut Bozic, who is already a Vuelta a España stage winner, and Romain Feillu, who has won eight of the teams races this year. Feillu also wore the yellow jersey for a day at the 2008 Tour.
One notable exclusion from the team’s Tour roster is Stijn Devolder. The two-time Tour of Flanders winner has had poor form and has opted to focus on the Vuelta a España instead.