EMIEL PLANCKAERT
Lotto-Soudal U23
We take a look at the youngest member of the latest dynasty of Planckaerts
There’s a lot of Planckaerts who are/were good at cycling. Place him for us.
Emiel is 20 and he’s riding for the LottoSoudal u23s. Forget about legendary oldtimer brothers Willy, Walter and Eddy, he’s got nothing to do with them. But he is the younger brother of Edward and Baptiste. Edward is 22 and riding for Sport Vlaanderen-Baloise. Baptiste, you’ll have heard of. Last year he won a couple of races, placed many more times and thereby won the EuropeTour. He cashed in with a move from Wallonie-Brussels to Katusha. Well you would, wouldn’t you?
Back to Emiel…
He didn’t have the best winter. He injured his shoulder late last year and that needed surgery and a long layoff over January and February. He started racing again in April and won a kermesse before going to the Tour de Bretagne. There, he finished fifth on a couple of days and ninth on GC. DS Kurt Van Der Wouwer was impressed he came good on such little racing.
What type of rider is he?
He won’t pigeonhole himself yet. His sprint isn’t as good as big brother Baptiste’s, but he’s handy over an undulating parcours and, says Van der Wouwer, the cobbles too. The only terrain which has been ruled out is the high mountains. He’s a classy rider with good form on the bike. If you’re looking for a prototype, Tiesj Benoot’s a good fit.
What are his goals for the season?
He’s off to the Baby Giro to hunt stages. His big goals of the season are at the back end when he targets the U23 European and World championships in Denmark and Norway respectively.
What he like as a character?
Immersed in cycling, says Van Der Wouwer. With two older professional brothers he could hardly not be. He knows what he’s doing.
And any word on interest from the pros?
Not yet. Van Der Wouwer said the next few months will be important. If he goes well, there could be ‘talks’ in the second half of the season, but if he’s a slow burner he could stay another year in the amateurs.