La Vuelta Ciclista a España

Junior Lecerf concluded the 80th edition of the Vuelta a España in a strong 11th place overall, a result that confirmed not just his progress, but also the upward trajectory he has followed this season, one which has seen the young wolf win the Czech Tour and finish top ten at both the UAE Tour and the Tour de Romandie before starting the Spanish Grand Tour.

Not just his results were impressive, but also the consistency he displayed and the way he kept fighting, as evidenced numerous times in these hard three weeks, where Junior punched above his weight on some of cycling’s most brutal climbs – such at the Angliru or Bola del Mundo – showcasing the T-Rex Quick-Step jersey and his character. The 11th place in which he finished in Madrid, where the Vuelta came to a conclusion after more than 3000 kilometers, was Belgium’s best general classification result in a Grand Tour this year.

“It’s a bit of a disappointment not being in the top ten of the overall standings, but at the end of the day, I can be happy with how this Vuelta went for us, but also on a personal level. We came close to a stage victory twice, we were in the breakaways, we fought every single time and showed the mentality and fighting spirit that make The Wolfpack so special, never giving up.”

“To be so close to the top ten on my second Grand Tour participation – and finish in a good position on some of the race’s hardest mountain stages – shows the progress I have made since turning pro with T-Rex Quick-Step at the beginning of last year. At the same time, it’s something that makes me confident that I can become better if I continue to work hard, and eventually fight for an important result in a three-week race.”

Photo credit: ©Dario Belingheri / Getty Images