07/09/2025 - Molenbeek-Wersbeek (R)

On Sunday, Gilles was once again at the start of a regional race that has been a fixture on the calendar for years. The conditions could not have contrasted more with last week: back then soaking wet and signs of hypothermia, now sweltering hot with temperatures reaching 30 degrees. The course consisted of 15 laps of just under 6 kilometers, and despite the heat, the pace was high right from the start.

In the third lap, Gilles himself pushed hard at the front of the peloton, stretching the group into a long line. However, he soon noticed that his legs weren't feeling their best and dropped back slightly. A few laps later, the peloton split into several pieces, and Gilles ended up in the third group, nearly two minutes behind the leaders. At that moment, a new top-20 finish, which he had collected in regional races over the past weeks and months, seemed completely out of reach.

Yet the race turned around in an astonishing way. Five laps from the end, Gilles and a few fellow escapees saw the first two pelotons riding in the distance. Together with a teammate, he pressed on, left the passive riders behind, and first closed the gap to the second peloton. Hardly recovered from that effort, the next attack followed immediately: on to the first group, which by now was also starting to fall apart.

With everything left in the tank, Gilles fought his way to the front in the final lap. Where he had previously thought he was lost, he ultimately sprinted to an impressive 16th place. Coming back from a hopeless position in just over 20 kilometers demonstrated his resilience and hidden strength once again. Sometimes Gilles himself does not realize how strong he truly is.