For many riders, it’s a race they grow up watching. For some, it becomes a goal. And for a select few, it turns into a dream they one day get to live themselves. This Sunday, Henri-François Haquin will line up at the start of Ronde van Vlaanderen for the very first time.
A new team, a step up to the World Tour, and now one of cycling’s most iconic races on his program: it’s been a period of change for the Frenchman. And while not everything has gone perfectly so far, his focus is firmly on what lies ahead.
“It’s going well,” Haquin says. “My shape is improving step by step. Training is going well, and I can feel from my legs that I’ve already done some good races. I’m not at 100 percent yet, but that’s normal. After changing teams and stepping up to the World Tour, it takes time. The level is so high, you really have to grow into it.”
