Campenaerts takes altitude training to further extremes

Victor Campenaerts on his debut with NTT Pro Cycling
Victor Campenaerts making his debut for NTT Pro Cycling at the UAE Tour earlier this year (Image credit: Getty Images)

Victor Campenaerts (NTT Pro Cycling) has already hit the headlines for likening the effects of sleeping in his altitude tent to EPO, but after spending time sleeping at 4,700 metres, the Belgian has taken his oxygen deprivation to new levels ahead of the season restart in August.

Every day, Campenaerts simulates being at an altitude of 10,000 metres for one hour, he told Het Laatste Nieuws. For comparison's sake, the peak of Mount Everest stands at 8,848 metres, with altitudes above 8,000 metres referred to by mountaineers as the 'death zone'.

Dani Ostanek
Senior News Writer

Dani Ostanek is Senior News Writer at Cyclingnews, joining in 2017 as a freelance contributor and later being hired full-time. Before joining the team, they had written for numerous major publications in the cycling world, including CyclingWeekly and Rouleur.

Dani has reported from the world's top races, including the Tour de France, Road World Championships, and the spring Classics. They have interviewed many of the sport's biggest stars, including Mathieu van der Poel, Demi Vollering, and Remco Evenepoel. Their favourite races are the Giro d'Italia, Strade Bianche and Paris-Roubaix.

Season highlights from the 2024 season include reporting from Paris-Roubaix –  'Unless I'm in an ambulance, I'm finishing this race' – Cyrus Monk, the last man home at Paris-Roubaix – and the Tour de France – 'Disbelief', gratitude, and family – Mark Cavendish celebrates a record-breaking Tour de France sprint win.