Jan Bakelants from the Belgian National team has won the 2008 Tour de l'Avenir as the third Belgian in history. Before him, Eddy Schepers put the prestigious Espoir race on his palmarès in 1977 and Johan Bruyneel in 1990.
Bakelants took the lead in an impressive solo ride on last Wednesday's stage from Saint-Flour to Carmaux. He crashed on Friday, but managed to hold on to his lead in the difficult Pyrenean stage on Saturday over the Port de Lers, the Col d'Agnes, the Col de Latrape and Guzet. American youngster Tejay Vangaderen won the last stage on Sunday but did not put Bakelants' lead in jeopardy, himself finishing a respectable eighth overall.
