Steele Von Hoff RVV post-race interview
As a professional cyclist the view you have of the Ronde Van Vlannderen and how you approach it for future years must all boil down to two things. Firstly how you’ve been introduced to it as a fan, was it something you aspired to tackle, did it catch the imagination and did you sit down every year enjoying the battle unfold on TV. The second I’m guessing is the important one.
The one that makes you either love or loath the race. That being a pros first experience of tackling the tough and dangerous roads of the famed classic. (Interview by Shoddy Cycling)
For the second year pro, Steele Von Hoff of Garmin-Sharp, this years edition of the race was his first. Garmin had turned up to the race with a strong squad.
As with all editions of the Tour of Flanders there is many mishaps, punctures and crashes. This year was no exception. There’s been a lot of news reports around team leader Johan Van Summeren being involved in a bad crash. But this is just one of many crashes throughout the race, one of many stories, some are painful to hear such as Johans. But then there are stories of triumph, accomplishment and even enjoyment. For Steele this is the first of what could be many editions of the race he’ll undertake.
Meeting Steele amongst the team trucks, buses and hordes of crazy fans at the finish I asked him how it all went for a Flanders virgin. He hadn’t finished his first Flanders, but for many pros they can go a whole car rear without even seeing the start line. Steele had started the race not to win it but to be a domestic and be there for his team captains. If this meant sacrificing himself and his equipment and not finishing, then that was what had to be done.
Even so the smile on his face pretty much said it all. The DNF wasn’t a worry. The race had left a positive impression from what i could see. But I’ll let Steele tell it in his own words, enjoy the video.
Photo: Jered Gruber