Victor Campenaerts date request at the Giro d'Italia hasn't quite gone to plan
LottoNL-Jumbo rider Victor Campenaerts asked a girl for a date during the Giro d'Italia time trial but things haven't gone to plan for the Belgian
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- (opens in new tab)
- Sign up to our newsletter Newsletter

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.
-
-
Skip the gatorade, nonalcoholic beer may be as good as, or even better than, sports drinks
Dry January may be over but you may want to keep stocking those nonalcoholic beers — for fitness sake.
By Anne-Marije Rook • Published
-
Rider hangs from bridge after huge pile-up at Etoile de Bessèges, stage neutralised
Valentin Ferron escapes with minor injuries as others taken to hospital
By Vern Pitt • Published
-
CW LIVE: Primož Roglič confirmed for Giro d'Italia 2023; Track rider hits 2,271 watts; NCL announces first two teams; Van Aert to ride cyclo-cross Worlds; Sram and Oakley team up with Jumbo-Visma; Rwanda unveils pump track: Evenepoel eyes Pogačar showdown
Join us as we round up the day's cycling news
By Tom Davidson • Last updated
-
Jumbo-Visma rider retires to become ambassador for anorexia charity
Aafke Soet reveals she struggled with eating disorder during her career as a cyclist
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Wout van Aert the latest star to sign lengthy contract, sticks with Jumbo-Visma until 2026
Multi-year deals are all the rage for the biggest riders, with Tom Pidcock, Tadej Pogačar, and Remco Evenepoel all tied down for at least four more years
By Adam Becket • Published
-
Primož Roglič abandons Vuelta a España after stage 16 crash
The Jumbo-Visma rider was placed second in the general classification
By Tom Davidson • Published
-
Jonas Vingegaard heads onto Zwift to continue Tour de France celebrations
Jumbo-Visma's Danish star will head to virtual cycling platform for victory ride at 5pm BST
By Adam Becket • Published
-
What can cycling learn from football? How Manchester United's new manager inspired Jumbo-Visma's Tour de France tactics
Jumbo-Visma DS Merijn Zeeman leaned on Manchester United manager Erik ten Hag in order to find a way to beat Tadej Pogačar
By Ryan Dabbs • Last updated
-
Jumbo-Visma bring 20 multi-terrain bikes specifically for Tour de France cobblestones
The team will also have 60 spare wheels to try and mitigate the problems they faced at Paris-Roubaix 2022
By Ryan Dabbs • Published
-
Jumbo-Visma stopping Wout van Aert from sharing Strava rides: 'We want to prevent speculation'
General manager Richard Plugge said the team won't risk Wout van Aert's involvement in Paris-Roubaix if he isn't fully fit
By Ryan Dabbs • Last updated