Harelbeke (Brussels Morning Newspapr) – Arjen Livyns (25th) and Vito Braet (31st) competed in a local race in Harelbeke. Mayor Michaël Vannieuwenhuze will run 32 km for charity during the E3 Saxo Classic. Yves Lampaert skipped the race.
2 cyclists from Harelbeke, Arjen Livyns and Vito Braet, competed against each other in the local race. They both finished in the same group, but Livyns was in 23rd place and Braet was in 31st. Livyns was the 1st resident of Harelbeke in the result with his 23rd place.
According to Livyns, he always tries to do his best, but the extra competition made it even more fun. He said that their participation showed how strong the cycling community is in Harelbeke, and it gave local fans someone to cheer for. He mentioned that even though the outcome wasn’t what they had hoped for, the friendly competition between the 2 riders showed how important camaraderie is in cycling.
Livyns says,
“That way I will also be on the podium of the E3 Saxo Classic, because if I’m honest that will be very difficult, maybe even impossible. I had already thought about a counter-performance beforehand, and someone told me that I could make him somersault to the coast. That might be a bit extreme, so I will let him walk the border of Greater Harelbeke.”
Will mayor Vannieuwenhuze’s 32km E3 Saxo challenge inspire Harelbeke?
Mayor Michaël Vannieuwenhuze of Harelbeke decided to do a special challenge during the E3 Saxo Classic. He planned to run about 32 kilometers. Even though it’s a big challenge, he’s excited about it and said he’s happy he doesn’t have to somersault. He used to run marathons, but he doesn’t have as much time now that he’s mayor.
He’s going to start training again to get ready for the run. He also asked professional cyclist Arjen Livyns to join him for a walk or bike ride on the day of the challenge. Mayor Vannieuwenhuze wants to raise money for charity with this challenge. He and Livyns will decide together which charity to support.
Mayor Vannieuwenhuze wanted to do more than just challenge himself. He wanted to get people excited about cycling in Harelbeke. He wanted people to cheer for all the local cyclists, not just Yves Lampaert, who is famous.
He wanted to show support for other talented riders like Arjen Livyns and Vito Braet. He was happy that people cheered more for those riders during the race. He combined a local competition with a charity challenge.
Livyns says,
“I had a lot of friends, family and acquaintances at the start, and I heard my name more often than usual. We rode on my training roads and I only needed my smallest bike computer. I knew all the roads by heart.”
The mayor of Harelbeke organised a special race for local cyclists during the E3 Saxo Classic. The race was meant to show off the city’s cycling talent. 4 cyclists from Harelbeke were supposed to compete, but one had to drop out because of an accident.
Another rider, Yves Lampaert, also did not ride because his team insisted he concentrate on another race. Lampaert indicated that he was sad to miss the race in his home town, but he had to obey his team. He won’t even get a chance to watch the race since he’s already on the move with his team preparing for another race.
