Belgian to finish all three Grand Tours in one year
Mario Aerts (Predictor-Lotto)
Photo ©: Luc Claessen
Mario Aerts has done something that no other Belgian has ever done
before. He has ridden all three Grand Tours to the end in one year,
reported Sportwereld.be
In the Giro d'Italia, he finished 20th, as the best Belgian rider in
the race. He was 70th overall in the Tour de France, and yesterday
ended up 28th in the Vuelta a España.
Two other Belgians tried to do the triple in 1963, Frans Aernouts and
Guillaume Van Tongerllo, but they were unable to finish all three
races. The only other rider to start all three Grand Tours this year
was Alberto Ongarato of Team Milram, who finished the Giro and Vuelta,
but not the Tour, due to a crash in stage 12 and a broken collarbone.
The 32-year old Predictor-Lotto rider thus became only the 25th rider
to join the "Club of the Triples".