Victor Campenaerts date request at the Giro d'Italia hasn't quite gone to plan

Belgian time trial champ, Victor Campenaerts, saw stage 10 as the perfect place to ask a girl out for a date. The controversial move worked though as 'Carlien' said yes after seeing the Belgian's bare chest.

By Chris Marshall-Bell

published 5 June 2017

One of the most memorable moments of this year's Giro d'Italia wasn't the dramatic final day time trial or the explosive week in the Dolomites, but something far more romantic.

On stage 10's time trial, Victor Campenaerts sacrificed a great time to ask Carlien Cavens on a date, writing on his chest "Carlien daten?" which he showed on the start ramp and when he crossed the line.

It all seemed to be going so well for the 25-year-old LottoNL-Jumbo rider with Carlien agreeing to the date.

But since returning to the Giro, it appears that Carlien, who is five years Campenaerts senior, just wants to be friends.

"We'll just stay friends," Campenaerts, who quit the Giro after stage 16, has revealed to Het Nieuwsblad.

"Nothing will be done. I have said everything about it. Will she continue to support me? Of course. Friends do that for each other."

Despite the end result not being what Campenaerts had hoped for, he does the see positive side of his stunt: publicity.

"It has had quite a bit of media attentions over the past few days," he added, before joking: "I think I was in the newspaper more than if I had won that time trial."

The rejection was the second blow for Campenaerts, for his date request also earned him a 100 Swiss francs fine.

There's always Tinder, Victor. Get swiping.

Thank you for reading 10 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription

Join now for unlimited access

Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

Chris first started writing for Cycling Weekly in 2013 on work experience and has since become a regular name in the magazine and on the website. Reporting from races, long interviews with riders from the peloton and riding features drive his love of writing about all things two wheels.

Probably a bit too obsessed with mountains, he was previously found playing and guiding in the Canadian Rockies, and now mostly lives in the Val d’Aran in the Spanish Pyrenees where he’s a ski instructor in the winter and cycling guide in the summer. He almost certainly holds the record for the most number of interviews conducted from snowy mountains.

Victor Campenaerts date request at the Giro d'Italia hasn't quite gone to plan

Useful links

Racing

Buyer's Guides

Reviews