The corona virus also affects the pack. In front of Jens Keukeleire (31) for example. He was selected for the triptych in Italy. What to do now? Keukeleire: "In consultation with the team I decided to stay at home and sleep in a high altitude tent."
It takes a while to adjust for teams and riders. After all, the lack of race days must be compensated for the momentum that there will be competitions again. Jens Keukeleire has made his decision. He remains… in Bruges.
"There were several alternatives," says the 31-year-old West-Fleming. "Riding Paris-Nice, for example, but more riders in our team wanted that. Planning an altitude training was another option, but I didn't like that. Since 1 January I have only been home for three days. I have to stay mentally healthy as well."
Keukeleire consulted with his coach and team and came to the next decision. “I just stay in Bruges to train. It is already March and the chance of really bad weather is getting a lot smaller now. Moreover, I can combine my training with explorations. ”
Altitude tent
Keukeleire cannot be blamed for a lack of ambition or professionalism. Because even though he trains in Belgium, he still sleeps in a height tent at a great height. Keukeleire: “I have been using that height tent for several years now. Often also to extend a real altitude internship. Then, for example, I go to altitude for 2 weeks, but by sleeping in my tent for a week beforehand, I extend my altitude internship to three weeks and I can train hard from day 1 in the mountains. I have also simulated a real altitude internship several times to peak and I felt very good about it. ”
Dream Cap
With the disappearance of the Italian races, Keukeleire will have a three-week 'period' free, more than enough to simulate a full-fledged altitude training camp. What do you have to imagine with such a tent? Well, that has evolved too. It used to be one of those big tents over the bed so that my girlfriend also slept at altitude. The result was that she also felt effects. Meanwhile we have a new 'Dream Cap' construction where only my head and torso are in the thin air."
For Jens Keukeleire, the real classical work now starts in Bruges-De Panne. “After which I drive everything up to and including Paris-Roubaix. That is, if no new matches are canceled. ”
