Emiel Verstrynge decided to end his season early due to a contamination with the Covid-19 virus, meaning that the Ethias Cross in Maldegem was his last race of the season.
The rider from East-Flanders, who celebrated his 20th birthday last Friday, can reflect on a successful season with the national title, a silver medal at the U23 World Championships in Fayetteville, a World Cup victory in Flamanville and five top fifteen finishes in the Elite World Cup.
« I was healthy when I returned home from the United States, but during my home race in Maldegem I felt that something was wrong. My feeling of fatigue was confirmed by a contamination with the Covid-19 virus, after which I started a quarantine period. In order to give myself the necessary time to recover, we decided to end my season early. It is a pity, because I was very motivated for the remaining races in February. I’m proud on what I achieved this season and in the end I’m grateful that I could finish in front of my home crowd in Maldegem. »
