Misty morning, fresh northerly wind, small roads with striking cobblestones... It's time, the bell has rung to begin one of the best periods of the professional cycling year, the season of the Flandrian classics! On the eve of the opening of the ball, the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, we have the chance to take the wheel of a local runner, new athlete of the Komugi - Grand Est team , the Flemish Fien Delbaere. Enough to give you a taste of this passion for cobblestones and the importance of these events for a cyclist from the region.
We experienced emotions last year, but it's nothing compared to what awaits us for 2024 and this second season alongside our partner and the girls of the Komugi - Grand Est team. And this continues from this last weekend of February with the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and the Omloop van het Hageland. Exceptional episode to give us a glimpse of the thrills that await us thanks to one of the recruits of the French team, the Belgian 27 runner Fien Delbaere. Before that, a look back through his words on his integration into his new team:
“We are a very cosmopolitan team. It's super nice to discover new things, new cultures or even other languages... It's always funny to see that certain things are super normal for me and completely abnormal for a person coming from another country.
I will have a dual role in the team. On the one hand, I have a lot of experience to pass on to young runners, and I'm happy to be able to do that. On the other hand, in certain races, I would have the opportunity to obtain my own results, particularly in races that suit me like the Flandrian classics. In the others, I will be at the service of the team with the aim of obtaining a good collective result..."
Obviously, as a Flemish runner, the love of the pavement runs in her blood. Through his experience and his versatility, Fien will be able to express all his talent and make the Komugi - Grand Est x Chef de File jersey shine . For the athlete from Ghent, the big start of the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, these roads will inevitably have a special flavor and an extra grinta to shine in his garden:
“It sure has a very special flavor, the start is only one kilometer from my house. I train on these roads every day! The Flandrian classics period is the unmissable event of my season. There is obviously an element of sadness at not being at the start of the Tour of Flanders, but I am looking forward to Paris-Roubaix because I have never had the opportunity to participate in it before. And then obviously, in August, we hope to obtain a candidacy for the Tour de France…”
A women's Grande Boucle that Fien has already had the opportunity to complete in 2023 when she was present at the WorldTour level. A season marked by injuries and bad luck, enough to be vindictive for his first year under the Komugi - Grand Est colors:
“2023 was very difficult, for my first year in the pros after finishing my studies. I've had 3 bad falls, including one in the spring where I had a long recovery period. I was lucky enough to be selected for the Tour de France, but I fell ill on the second stage... It was very hard mentally, but I learned a lot about myself, especially about taking advantage of each moment on the bike.
This year I really hope to get back to my best level and be less unlucky. The grinta and the desire are there to shine personally but also by bringing added value to the entire team. I also hope to discover new races throughout the season and to be able to win by expressing my peak of speed in construction races..."
Adopt the style of the Komugi - Grand Est team!
This grinta and this competitive spirit, Fien demonstrates it on the bike but also outside where even in a simple game of Uno the desire is to win... She who did her first spins at the age of two and hooked his first bib at 14 years old discovered the professional peloton as soon as he left the junior ranks:
“The first years of my career, I was in Belgian UCI teams, combining cycling and studies. I wasn't training as much as I should. And with my exams in the January and June periods that didn't make it any easier. I finished my studies in 2021, the following season I worked 80% within the regional cycling committee, it wasn't the easiest either. In fact, my first season where I was able to dedicate myself completely to cycling and being a professional rider was last year…”
Between two cappuccinos and her passion for coffee, she can think about her future in cycling. 2024 promises to be crucial for Fien, shine or hang up:
“My future in the professional peloton will obviously depend on how this season goes. I want to find my best level and shine, so that this can continue over time. The team has a real project over several years and the objective of obtaining WorldTour status. I am happy to be part of this project and to see the team grow.
But if I see this year that I am not or no longer at the level, I think it will be my last season. Because I don't want to just ride in the peloton without being useful or without having something to play for. That's not what I want, I want to be there to be competitive, useful, to have something to contribute and to have the feeling, when we cross the finish line, of "yes, we have done something beautiful , and I was a part of that,” that’s how I want to feel. »
The tone is set, now it's time for the Flemish fight and the opening of the classics season. You will have to watch carefully the orange keys on your television to follow the girls of the Komugi - Grand Est team!
Our partners are talented and they deserve to be highlighted!
Thanks to Fien Delbaere - professional runner - Komugi Grand Est for the time given and to Juliette Landon for the photo credits.
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