“Van Looy’s death touched me a lot” (Disappearance)

Do you have any special memories of him?
Several. We had long discussions, which I appreciated. Otherwise, I remember a criterium, at Liederkerke I think, I knew he would beat me in the sprint, so I let myself go, and he did the same, and we both took an eight-day suspension with reprieve. It was like a peak of our rivalry, or at least an example, because he got in my wheel and didn’t take over, he waited to sprint and pass me. But that was all at the start of my career, then things changed.”