Søren Wærenskjold increased his lead in the Baloise Belgium Tour on Friday thanks to the seconds scored in the Golden Kilometre. The Norwegian hopes to successfully defend his leader’s jersey this weekend.
The rider in the Baloise leader’s jersey can start Saturday’s queen stage in and around Durbuy with a lead of 11 seconds over Czech Mathias Vacek. Number three Rune Herregodts follows at 22 seconds.
“We had agreed during the pre-ride briefing that we would go all out for the ‘Golden Kilometre’,” Warenskjold said afterwards. “My teammates would do everything to help me get as many bonus seconds as possible. It ended up being nine. Moreover, my closest competitors failed to take time back on me. So, the mission was more than successful. By the end I still felt good and for a moment I thought about sprinting with them, but then I saw the little Alpecin-Deceuninck train coming.”
The general classification is likely to be decided in and around Durbuy. The riders face over 170 hilly kilometres featuring slopes such as Champs des Hêtres, Petite Somme, Côte de Hermanne, Côte Grand Houmart and the Mur de Durbuy.
Wærenskjold is preparing for a tough day. “I must not let myself be surprised,” he says. “The Baloise Belgium Tour will probably be decided tomorrow, but I can fall back on a very strong team. For example, some teammates stopped pushing their legs after the last climb, when I already had the bonus seconds in my pocket, saving their strength for Saturday. We will need it, because I expect a lot of attacks from my competitors in the penultimate stage. I will defend my leader’s jersey tooth and nail,” the young Norwegian concluded.
