Breaking away with Michal Kwiatkowski and Matt\u00e9o Vercher with 35km to go, Campenaerts led the disciplined trio through rolling terrain to a three-up sprint, beating the others in a well-deserved win for the former Hour Record holder and all-round on-bike grafter.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>
His tear-jerking post-race interview was a further triumph for my biggest Belgian crush \u2013 it\u2019s clear \u2018Campi\u2019 is an immensely kind, nice and well-liked man who simply loves riding bikes.\u00a0<\/p> He is also, crucially, a massive bike tech dork. Campenaerts\u2019 pursuit of aero gains and passion for waxed chains<\/a> would make even Simon von Bromley<\/a> blush.\u00a0<\/p> This, combined with his affable ways, would make him the perfect addition to BikeRadar’s roster of exceptionally gifted tech correspondents.<\/p> His beautiful tucked-in TT-like pedalling style, narrow bars<\/a> and aero socks all speak of a man who has spent a lot of time reading the AeroCoach blog and comparing tyres on Bicycle Rolling Resistance.<\/p> He has also experimented extensively with large chainrings, 1x setups<\/a> and Classified hubs<\/a> \u2013 all classic tropes of the budding tech features writer.\u00a0<\/p> While I can\u2019t imagine it would match the highs of winning a Grand Tour stage, he is a moustachio\u2019d man I can fine well imagine delighting in unearthing, testing and discussing some mad, mega-niche aero upgrade.\u00a0<\/p> That he chooses to race without glasses and prefers black shoes marks him out as a man willing to go against the grain \u2013 if anything, just to annoy commenters. Love or hate,\u00a0engagement is engagement, and Campi knows that.<\/p> He\u2019s already shown himself as a natural and daft presenter with his immensely fun Instagram feed.\u00a0<\/p>![\"Belgian](\"https:\/\/c02.purpledshub.com\/uploads\/sites\/39\/2024\/07\/GettyImages-1247555466.jpg\")