Belgian cyclist Lennert van Eetvelt clinched a memorable victory, cementing his status as one of the best young talents in the sport. Here’s a look at Van Eetvelt’s success, plus a couple of other important talking points from the race.
Van Eetvelt Seals Impressive Victory in Thrilling Finale
Van Eetvelt was the bookmakers’ favourite to win and he did not disappoint. However, it was far from a cakewalk for the 23-year-old as he was under serious pressure. Jonas Rutsch, Stefan Bissegger, Koen Bouwman and Waare Vangeluwe formed a strong breakaway that kept the peloton working hard, but they were caught while approaching the final climb.
Tim Wellens and Victor Lafay made bold moves, with the latter launching a last-gasp push in the final kilometre of the race. Oscar Onley also attacked in the final 400 metres, but Van Eetvelt had the best legs when it mattered. He showed impressive composure to follow the attack before powering through.
Van Eetvelt’s victory capped off an impressive season. He had put in impressive shifts at the United Arab Emirates (UAE) tour, La Vuelta and Clasica San Sebastian before adding Guangxi to his CV. The Belgian put his victory down to feeling fresh and motivated after a late-season training push and will rest easy heading into the break.
Luke Plapp Forced to Retire After Awful Crash on Stage 3
After three months on the sidelines, Australian cyclist Luke Plapp returned from a crash at the Olympic Games to lead the charge for his team at the Tour of Guangxi. The Aussie national champion was eager to get back on the road, and there were high hopes that he could deliver a strong performance.
He had his eye on reaching stage 5 for General Classification (GC) success, but his ambitions took a massive hit as he was forced to drop out of the race in the third stage.
The race was paused after a mass crash that involved over 20 riders. Racing soon got back underway, but Plapp was among several riders who could not continue.
Plapp was forced to withdraw on the advice of the team doctor, who confirmed he sustained some dizziness after the heavy crash. His exit from the race was a tough blow not just for the rider and his team but also for the vast number of Aussie sports bettors who had pinned their hopes on him.
If he wasn’t forced to abandon the race, it is likely that even more punters would have taken to Australian betting sites and backed him to make a strong finish. Plapp’s determination would have convinced Aussie punters he had what it takes to at least finish in the top ten, but he must now focus on coming back stronger from yet another injury setback.
Oscar Onley Claims First-Ever Podium Finish
Onley was forced to settle for a runner-up spot at the Tour of Guangxi, finishing merely two seconds behind Van Eetvelt. However, the Scottish cyclist can hold his head high after an impressive performance that ensured he closed out the 2024 campaign on a high note.
The 22-year-old kicked off the year with a stage win at the Tour Down Under and was narrowly pipped to first place on the climb to Nongla in the season finale. Onley originally travelled to China to support his teammate Max Poole for the GC but was called into action when his British counterpart picked up a knock.
Given the circumstances, the Scottish rider did well to finish second and claim his first-ever podium finish in a World Tour but admitted he was already familiar with the terrain.
Onley said: “Finally I can just finish a lot of races in a row and train well, without injuries. That made the difference this fall. “We came to China with Max Poole for the GC. I was a back-up and would help where I could. But he didn’t feel well on the way to Nongla – it’s not a climb that suits him well. “I got the chance and took it. I also knew the climb from the year before, which helped me.”
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