06/09/2026 - Houwaart (R)

On Saturday, September 6, Gilles lined up for the regional race in Houwaart for U23 and Elite 2 riders. Not only because the course suited him well, but also because he wanted to support the young organizing team. With several familiar faces involved behind the scenes, his presence was also a gesture of encouragement toward the organizers.

No fewer than 107 riders took the start for nine laps of a demanding circuit. Despite a high average speed of 45.38 km/h, the race appeared relatively controlled for much of the day from a spectator's perspective. The only climb on the course, a short but steep puncheur-style hill, occasionally caused splits in the peloton, but major attacks were hard to come by.

That does not mean nothing was happening. Quite the opposite. Gilles made it his mission to make the right breakaway. He tried his luck no fewer than nine times. Nine attempts, but no success. Every move was brought back after just a few kilometers. The strongest teams in the bunch clearly had one objective: not letting anyone get away.

It was only in the penultimate lap that the race finally opened up. Three riders managed to break free from the peloton, and this time they were given enough room to stay away. In the end, two of them remained clear and sprinted for the victory, while the third escapee was caught in the closing kilometers.

Behind them, the peloton battled for third place. For Gilles, the decision was an easy one. As he is not a sprinter, he saw little benefit in taking risks in a high-speed bunch sprint. With next weekend's Belgian Cup race already on his mind, he chose to stay safe and reach the finish without incident.

He eventually crossed the line in a modest but respectable 46th or 47th place, with the exact finishing position still open to debate. But in the end, that hardly matters. His race was defined less by the final result and more by his aggressive racing style. Trying nine times and continuing to believe in the right breakaway is sometimes worth just as much as a strong result on the results sheet.

Next up is the Belgian Cup. Gilles will be hoping to show his good form once again and, with a bit more racing luck, perhaps turn his efforts into a stronger result. 🏁🚴‍♂️