Jarno Widar has claimed an impressive victory at the Tour of Guangxi. The 20-year-old Belgian won the sixth and final stage, which finished uphill in Nongla, securing the overall title as well. Following his victory at Tre Valli Varesine earlier this month, Widar has now claimed his first WorldTour-level victory in China. “It feels like I’m still dreaming and waiting for someone to wake me up.”
The Tour of Guangxi delivered a particularly exciting finale on the final day. The outcome was decided on the tough final climb of the 166-kilometre stage from Yizhou to Nongla. “That climb suited me perfectly,” Widar explains. “The pace was already very high over the first two kilometres, but I was still a little too far back, boxed in behind the other teams’ lead-out trains. I managed to move up on the flatter section and felt I still had something left. It became a real battle of attrition. I knew Pidcock would accelerate at around 300 metres to go. With 150 metres remaining, I felt I had to get past him.”
A dream come true
The victory marks another major milestone in Widar’s young professional career. “It feels like I’m still dreaming and waiting for someone to wake me up. My dream has always been to become a professional cyclist, but winning two big races in a week and a half feels completely unreal. It’s my first WorldTour-level victory, and to beat riders of that calibre again is incredible.”
The 20-year-old Belgian also looks back on his week in China with great satisfaction. “First of all, there was the jet lag,” he laughs. “I really enjoyed this week. The team did a fantastic job, and I’m happy I could finish it off for them. Racing in China is also always special. The scenery was beautiful and made a real impression on me.”
Carrying his strong form through to the end
The victory in Guangxi also caps off a strong end to the season. “We knew I had come out of the Vuelta in good shape. The Italian classics followed, and we wanted to perform as well as possible there. We prepared well for those races, which allowed me to carry my good form through to China.”
By winning the Tour of Guangxi, Widar brings his season to a memorable close and takes another important step in his development. “A few years ago, when I was a junior, I obviously watched cycling on television. I saw riders like these winning stages of the Giro and the Tour de France, becoming Olympic mountain bike champions and winning other major races. Back then, I was still just a junior. Even the thought of one day racing alongside those guys seemed fantastic to me. But to be able to beat them now and take another step forward is incredible.”
Baptiste Veistroffer also wraps up the Tour of Guangxi with a special reward. The Frenchman won the mountains classification, taking home a memorable result from China.
