Tim Wellens describes 2015 as the year he confirmed his potential, but the 24-year-old Belgian is well aware of the danger of resting on his laurels and insists he needs to make further progress, and provide further confirmation of his ability over the course of 2016.
The Lotto Soudal rider had a breakthrough campaign in 2014, winning the Eneco Tour, finishing fourth at Il Lombardia, and taking two second places at the Giro d’Italia, which all contributed to heightened expectations and ever more intense media attention as Belgium realised he could develop into a successful stage racer and climber.
“There was a lot of pressure last year because everybody was talking about the confirmation that had to come,” Wellens told Cyclingnews at Lotto Soudal’s recent training camp in Mallorca.
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“In the Belgian media they were asking for confirmation. There’s quite a lot of pressure there but that’s normal – you prefer them to talk about you than not. People complain about another interview, another photo-shoot, but that means you had a good year.”
In any case, Wellens overcame the pressure and backed his breakthrough up with a repeat overall win at the Eneco Tour last summer, followed by victory at the WorldTour-level GP de Montréal, not to mention his 10th place overall finish at Paris-Nice.
“Thanks to my second victory at the Eneco Tour and the victory at Montreal the confirmation was there. However, every year will have to be a confirmation and I’ll have to try to do better. The important thing is to make a step forward every year,” he said.
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