It gives Lemmen mixed feelings. “Sepp is a fantastic rider and an important asset for the team. But for me it is a unique opportunity and I am very happy with it. I expected that I would take steps, but it is going very fast,” says Lemmen, which, according to RTV Utrecht cycling analyst Niels van Ekeren, performs especially well in the hills and mid-mountains. “I don’t know how good he is in the high mountains. But he went well uphill this year in the Tour Down Under, and came second in the Tour of Norway. That is certainly not flat. But replacing Sepp Kuss is difficult, because that is one of the very best climbers in the peloton,” said Van Ekeren.
Utrecht Bart Lemmen surprising Tour debutant: ‘I don’t think I’ll realize it until the Tour has started’
