Axel Zingle takes on bigger role in Flemish spring classics
Visma | Lease a Bike has taken a big hit in the spring classics with the departure of Tiesj Benoot, Dylan van Baarle, and fast man Olav Kooij. They have tried to compensate for this with Timo Kielich and Owain Doull, but Axel Zingle is also racing many more spring classics than last year. He told WielerFlits this in the Alpecin Barbershop.
The arrival of the now 27-year-old Frenchman was the idea of Head of Strategy Patrick Broe. The transfer of Zingle to the Dutch team has yet to really come together, mainly due to bad luck. He missed the Ardennes classics due to crashes, the Tour de France (where he had just been named as a replacement for Christophe Laporte), and he also abandoned the Vuelta a España. “Let’s just say I came into 2025 at 110% fresh,” he laughs. “The other riders on the team were already joking that Christophe and I mostly spent last year on vacation.”
With a sense of humor, Zingle says he plans to race a few more races this year than the 28 race days he had in 2023. “I can’t say that I’m a better rider now than when I came here a year ago. But I still have the same motivation. Or actually, I’m even more motivated. I had a long off-season due to a shoulder surgery (after the Vuelta, ed.). But right now, I can’t say whether I’m stronger than a year ago.” Zingle has already won once, at the Tour de Dunkirk. Without a crash, he would have taken the overall victory there as well.
“It’s always my goal to win races, but in some races I also like to help other teammates win,” says the Frenchman. “In the Flemish classics where we race with Wout, we aim collectively for victory. I will ride the E3 Saxo Classic, Dwars Door Vlaanderen, the Tour of Flanders, and the Amstel Gold Race, among others. In the latter race, I perform best if I had to choose. Lots of corners, narrow roads. I love that a lot. It’s because of my background in mountain biking. I normally don’t do the Tour de France.”
