Victor Campenaerts is one of the Belgian riders aiming to compete in next year's Olympics, and after scouting the course, the 28-year-old said it is possible for him to win a medal in Tokyo.

Kampenaerts has already had meetings with his new team, NTT (renamed Dimension Data), about their plans for next summer, and the team supports his ambitions. However, his first meetings with the national team coaches are yet to come.

Two time triallists will eventually be selected, complicated for Campenaerts by the fact that both must run a road race. However, the fact that they both have to run a road race complicates things for Campenaerts. The selectors might choose athletes like Wout Van Aert or Lawrence De Plus, who can assist in the depths of the road race.

With Lemko Evenpoel already confirmed, the battle for second place in the time trial will be fierce. Campenaerts will have to wait until May to find out if he has been selected to compete, but he recently went out to Tokyo to explore the route.

"Right away I had very good contacts with [NTT's] bosses and sponsors," Kampenaerts told Het Newsblad. 'It was good team building. But we explored the Olympic time trial course. It's a great course for me, for Remco Evenpole, or for Wout van Eyck.

"By the way, on Wednesday I will discuss Tokyo with Rick Verbrugghe, technical director Frederic Brochet, and my coach. If we have good preparation, we can go for the medals."

The course is a tough 44 km, two laps around Fuji Speedway and its surroundings. Two major climbs on each lap, followed by more climbs, will be a major test for the participants.

"The last mountain is really impossible," said one participant. I'm glad we went by car." Whoever overcomes that one will be one of the lucky ten competing for the win."

"I'm glad I went in a car, because I would have been one of the lucky ten competing for the win.

Kampenaerts recently returned to the track at Ghent Six Day, setting a new record seven months after his victory in Mexico. He challenged the 5,000 meter record on the Kuipke track, clocking a time of 5:51, shattering Dirk Burt's 38-year-old record of 6:13.56.

"I didn't have any special preparation. 'But I got in touch with a couple of track riders. They told me not to run too much resistance on this little track, so I opted for 58-16."

"But it was especially nice to run on the noisy 'To Quipe.' It was very quiet when I attempted the world time record in Mexico. It was also nice to say goodbye to Lot Soudal, with whom I had spent two wonderful years."