Wauters’ track, Meeus’ and Philipsen’s trips and the future with Widar: champions from the European Championship home base of Limburg

This year, the European Cycling Championships will take place in perhaps the most underrated cycling province in Flanders. Underrated, because in Flanders, the regions of Flemish Brabant, East and West Flanders are not only the most popular among cycling tourists, but also the best known. Especially because of the many professional competitions that take place there. In order to get to know the attractions for cyclists from Flemish Limburg a little better, we will take you on the trail of a few champions throughout history who come from this province.

Past

Belgian Limburg has produced many cycling champions who have earned their stripes in national cycling history. The most famous is perhaps Eric Vanderaerden from Herk-de-Stad, who made a splash in the mid-eighties in several top classics, such as the Tour of Flanders, Paris-Roubaix and Gent-Wevelgem, but also won the green jersey in the Tour de France. Another famous Paris-Roubaix winner comes from Lommel, in the person of Johan Vansummeren.

Limburgers have scored more often in the Tour. Think of the Wellen sprinter/lead-out Gert Steegmans in Ghent and on the Champs-Elysées in 2006 and 2007, Hamont-Achelaar Jelle Vanendert in his super year 2011 on top of Plateau de Beille, or Marc Wauters in 2001 even in his own country, when he avoided the sprint in Antwerp and took the yellow jersey. Wauters is nowadays not only sports director at Lotto Dstny, but not unimportantly, also the big man behind the brand new Sport Vlaanderen Heusden-Zolder Velodroom Limburg, the cycling track where all European championships will start.

It was Wauters himself who advocated the arrival of the track, on the edge of the Circuit Zolder. “As a little boy, I often went cycling with my father on the circuit. I grew up there and actually laid the foundation for my career later on. During a special event in 2005, I had to compete as Belgian champion against then world champion Tom Boonen in track cycling. But I had hardly any experience on the track, so I scheduled extra training sessions. Entrepreneur Paul Kumpen rode laps on the track during those training sessions. From above on the outside track he shouted: ‘Marc, we should have something like that in Limburg!’ Since then, we have never let go of that idea.”

The track has been open for good since the end of 2023 and is immediately one of the main attractions for Limburg cycling, where cycling tourists can also enjoy themselves three days a week. “But above all: it is a fully covered cycling track that perfectly meets the current UCI standards. That is completely unique for our country. We are therefore ready to organize the most important competitions in track cycling, up to world hour record attempts and World Championships. Limburg must develop into both a recreational and a professional cycling province, and that is why we want to bring major sporting events here, such as the upcoming European Cycling Championships as well as the Track Cycling World Championships in 2030. We can aim high.”

Today

For the current generation of Limburg big shots, we look primarily at the fast men. With the Flame of Ham Jasper Philipsen a nine-time stage winner and laureate of the green jersey comes from the province, he is the fastest man in the world in 2024. Jordi Meeus is the second sprinter to put his name on the world map. The fast Lommel native did so by winning what is perhaps the most prestigious sprint stage of the year in 2023: the final stage of the Tour de France to the Champs-Elysées.

Coincidentally, the two know each other very well. “Jasper and I train together almost every day,” Meeus tells us. “We mainly do our long endurance training together. When we cycle in Limburg itself, it is usually towards Peer and Borgloon. And then a bit via Hasselt and the Albert Canal back. Ideal roads for sprinters to train. But I do see Limburg as a real cycling province anyway. I remember when I was little, that we already went with my parents to the Bloesemstreek, fruit region and the region around Borgloon. We would go cycling together around Sint-Truiden in a beautiful environment.”

For the two, the upcoming European Championship will be an important opportunity, unlike their regional rivals Dylan Teuns (Get) and Tim Wellens (who has moved from Sint-Truiden to Monaco). “Precisely because the EC is held in my own region, I really wanted to be there,” says Meeus. “The roads where I used to come often, are now the focus of the EC. Apart from the Tour of Limburg, our fans don’t often get the chance to see us at work in our own region. The fact that they can now do that at a major championship in which we both have a chance, is very special. And perhaps an extra experience for the fans.”

In addition, Limburg also has numerous off-road options, punctual cyclo-cross rider Laura Verdonschot – originally from Lommel –. “I really like to go to the Lommel Sahara. I think it’s a beautiful piece of nature. I may be best known as a cyclo-cross rider, but that doesn’t mean I only ride my cyclo-cross bike there. You can also ride around there nicely on a road bike. I’ve also done ‘Cycling through Water’ in Genk a few times. If you grew up here, you often don’t realise how blessed you are. Sometimes colleagues come and ride a lap with me and they’re really impressed. I’ve never known anything else myself, but it’s nice to see that the region is appreciated.”

Future

Don’t worry: the future of Limburg cycling is also assured. Not least thanks to super talent Jarno Widar. The 18-year-old from Wellen, near Borgloon, is not even a pro yet, but he is big game on the transfer market because he is considered one of the biggest growth diamonds in the world. A real climber, moreover, who could perhaps one day ensure a Limburg victory in a major tour?

Furthermore, we must look for the Limburg top performers of tomorrow in the classical work. Just think of Jens Reynders from Heers, right in the region of the Limburg loop of the European Championship. “Because of the blossoms you are quickly in Borgloon for some short hills and cobblestone sections, which also return in the Tour of Limburg. On the other hand, you see that those routes are also eagerly used by cycling tourists. The routes are not as difficult as those you find on the other side of the language border, in the Ardennes. That way it is more pleasant to cycle, both for the trained professionals who want to train for the high wattages or prepare for the classic spring, like myself, and the cycling tourists or even the less trained cyclist.”

That famous Tour of Limburg was won in 2023 by a Limburger, the fast man born in Genk Gerben Thijssen. He wants to become one of the best sprinters in the world, but his heart will always be with the Tour of Limburg. “That is the only race of the season on the roads where I cycled so many kilometers as a young rider. At the time, I was able to realize the dream of winning this home race. Never before have I received so much encouragement from the public along the side of the road.”

Let’s hope for Thijssen and co that the upcoming European Championships in Limburg will be inspiring and that they can race on their home roads more often from now on.