It’s an exhilarating feeling. On one hand, it feels like it was just yesterday that I raced like this. On the other, it feels like a lifetime ago. The truth is, the reality lies somewhere in between. Half a year ago, I raced the World Championship in Belgium—now I’m back.
– Skviik. The screech of slamming brakes—such a terrifying sound.
– Hot vordomme. A Belgian rider shouting at another as he’s nearly shoved into the gutter.
Almost a mass crash, but luckily, nobody went down.
At 8:30, alongside 110 other riders, I started in the town of Turnhout, in Antwerp province. Ten years ago, this could have been considered a hometown race for me. I recognize so many spots from when I lived in Vorselaar, just 15 km away. The memories from that time are a mix of emotions, but even though this chaotic racing sends a few nerves through me, there’s a rush of excitement too. It’s another UCI Gravel Race, and another step toward qualifying for the World Championship.
READ ALSO: World Championship Gravel 2024
We swing around a blind cobbled corner at 40 km/h, then hit a hard right turn into gravel. I know I need to move up, but it’s easier said than done. Jasper Ockeloen is sprinting along the ditch on the right, and I consider following him, but a rider cuts me off. I’m too late—the next corner is fast approaching.
We sway left, and suddenly we’re on a sandy road. That shower I took last night doesn’t seem to have helped much—the surface is dry and loose. The dust fills the air, making everything hazy, and I can barely see. The gravel morphs into a narrow trail, and the peloton starts to stretch out. I try to stick to the wheel in front of me, but I notice a rider pulling ahead, and I can feel the groups are starting to break up. Right now, on this trail, there’s nothing I can do. No room to pass.
We sprint out of a sharp right, and I spot the group ahead. Thankfully, there are still a few riders lagging behind with the strength to push the pace.
It takes us about three minutes of intense teamwork to reel back into the 30-man peloton. This time, the crisis is averted.
We’ve only covered 20 km, but it’s been 30 minutes of pure effort. My legs are burning with lactate, but I know I need to move up in the peloton before the next split. Riders are scattered all over the road. I search for a gap to make my move, but I don’t find one until it’s too late. We hit a left turn onto a forest road, and once again, the peloton stretches out. Some riders can’t hold the pace. Another gap opens!
This time, I’m not so fortunate. The few of us left behind try to form a chase, but we don’t have the same firepower as before. The peloton inches farther away. I can’t close the gap on my own, and now I’m relying on the others to work together. But it’s clear we’re not going to bridge it, even though the pace is still blistering.
Being in a smaller group has its advantages. There’s no fighting for position, and it’s not nearly as dusty.
I grab a bottle from Lawrie as I pass him in the feed zone. He’s still got limited experience with bottle handups, but he’s a natural talent. He helped me during the Worlds, and I’ve never lost a bottle from him.
Soon, we’re riding alongside the canal, heading back toward Turnhout, ready to tackle another lap. The section into Turnhout includes a long singletrack, followed by a fast, narrow path along the canal. You need to stay focused here—there are plenty of obstacles, and if you crash you are falling straight into the canal.
My Challenge Getaway tires have been a great choice for my Felt Breed, but this time I’m not focused enough and nearly lose traction in a corner. Thankfully, I manage to stay on the wheels.
We approach the same sandy section where the first gap was made, and it happens again. In my 12-man group, the first five riders create a gap. I should try to bridge, but with the pace so high, I opt to stay behind and conserve energy—a mistake. As we turn right after the singletrack, the five ahead have already gained 15 seconds, and closing that gap feels like a tall task. Now I try.
No luck.
As our small chase group comes together, I finally start to feel strong, so I push the pace. For the next 30 km, I spend more time at the front of the group than behind others because I’m determined to reel those five riders back in.
Honestly, I’m not sure what the point is, but since the top 25% of riders qualify—which should be around 28 riders—I still believe there’s a small chance we might be in the running for a ticket to the next World Championship.
1 km to go. I give it one last push. We’ve caught two of the five riders, but the last three are still out of reach. I know we’re probably not fighting for a top spot, but I’m determined to use up every last bit of energy. There’s nothing left to save.
Now, there are six of us left as we enter Turnhout. My legs are screaming, but there aren’t many meters left. The last corner is a tight 180-degree turn, followed by a 200-meter sprint to the finish.
I take the first position into the last turn but I can’t accelerate. My legs are completely blocked with lactate, and the others fly past me. 41th place in Men Elite.
I wouldn’t say I’m happy with the result, but I’m glad to finally get the season underway. Well, I did kick off my season in the US over the last few weeks, but a snowfall in the first race and a wildfire in the second disrupted things, so this was the first real race of the year. The organizer, Bolero, is incredibly professional, so everything was top-notch. The course was super fast, and I averaged 38 km/h, despite all the sharp corners, sandy gravel, and singletracks.
My legs started to come around about halfway through, which is a positive. Even though my race mindset wasn’t fully there and I made a few bad decisions early on—like losing the first peloton—I know this is exactly what I needed to get back into the rhythm after a long winter of trainer rides, winter cycling, and no real speed work.
Big thanks to Lawrie and Babette for all your help this weekend. Next up is some solid training, and then my next big race: Traka 360 in May.
WHAT’S NEXT? Check out event calendar
From the organizer:
On Sunday, March 23, Turnhout will host the first stage of the Bolero Gravel Series. With its stunning natural surroundings, wide forest and field trails, and Kempen gravel paths, Turnhout offers the perfect setting for a day full of gravel riding and fun. The landscape and atmosphere reflect the American roots where gravel cycling was born. Turnhout Gravel is one of two Belgian qualifying events for the UCI Gravel World Series in 2025.
Turnhout Gravel is a perfect opportunity to qualify early in the season for the UCI Gravel World Championships.
