29/07/2026-02/08/2026: Ronde van Vlaams-Brabant

After a few inconsistent local races, Gilles was thrown straight into his first real trial by fire this week following the crash that had sidelined him for weeks: the Tour of Vlaams-Brabant, five days of racing back to back over a hilly course and, save for one wet day, under a merciless sun. For the young rider, it remained to be seen how he would hold his own amid the violence of the U23 and Elite 2 peloton. The answer came immediately: surprisingly well.

Day 1 - Ottenburg: 34 degrees right from the start

The race kicked off under a scorching temperature of 34 degrees. No easy feat for a debutant, but Gilles kept a cool head and his body under control. He rode a solid first stage and finished in an impressive 56th place out of 171 participants, a reassuring start to his first stage race.

Day 2 - Houtem/Vilvoorde: mass sprint in the rain

Where the first day was defined by heat, the second day brought the exact opposite: a completely flat stage, ridden in the rain at a more pleasant 24 degrees. As expected, the stage ended in a mass sprint, and Gilles once again rose to the occasion with a fine 48th place. In the general classification, he moved up to 40th.

Day 3 - Betekom: gritting his teeth

Day three took the peloton to Betekom, where two tough little climbs created a selective scenario. Once again the thermometer flirted with 30 degrees. It required some gritted teeth, but Gilles held his own in the peloton. With a 45th place on the stage, he climbed further to 35th in the overall standings.

Day 4 - Bertem: time trial, his least favorite discipline

The fourth day brought a double workload. In the morning, a short but treacherous 7-kilometer time trial was on the schedule, with barely any flat sections. It's not exactly Gilles' favorite exercise, and that was confirmed with a 78th place. Still, the damage remained limited: in the general classification he actually climbed to 33rd place. In the afternoon came a shorter stage, again in 30-degree heat, which he completed without too much trouble. A 38th place on the stage kept his 33rd position in the standings intact.

Day 5 - Bertem: the legs give out

The fifth and final day was immediately the toughest: a longer distance, 30 degrees once again, and a course with four sharp little climbs. However, around halfway through the race, the fatigue of five days of racing in full heat finally caught up with Gilles. His legs were empty, and a few laps before the finish he was forced to throw in the towel.

Disappointment, but also a boost

Afterward, disappointment was the dominant feeling for Gilles: right at the finish line, he was unable to confirm his fine classification by failing to finish. Still, the stage race can be called a success. For five days he managed to show himself in the peloton under extreme conditions, and his form rose visibly. The heat ultimately threw a wrench in the works, but in two weeks another stage race awaits, this time under more pleasant temperatures than expected. For Gilles, a prime opportunity to definitively confirm his good form.