A talented Belgian climber, Henri had some good results in his junior career and opening season as an U23 in 2019 but his most impressive results have been in 2020 where he was one of the revelations of the year. A good showing at Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc was followed by a fantastic ride at the Giro Ciclistico d’Italia which saw him pick up a well-earned second place on GC alongside two-stage podium places. Proving that result was more than just a flash in the pan, he followed it up with a stage win and second overall at Ronde de l’Isard just two weeks later – highlighting his potential ability as a future stage racer and climber.
Inspired by his brother, who is five years older than him, Henri took up cycling properly at the age of 12 after previously doing other sports such as football and athletics, but he always knew his heart was in cycling.
A fan of being outdoors, Henri fully embraces the cyclist’s lifestyle and enjoys everything that comes along with it. Whether that be the travelling you get to do to go to races, the scenery you see while riding or the friends you make over the years, he thinks it’s a “nice environment” to be in.
New to the team in 2021, Henri’s brother is friends with Tiesj (Benoot), who also gave him some guidance on joining the team and how everything works. Clearly inspired, Henri is looking forward to getting underway and learning from all of the experts in the team.
Henri will ride for the Development program in 2021 before making the step up to the Men’s program in 2022. It’s something that excites him, but he wants to make the most of his last season at U23 and use it as a transitional year to “learn as much from the team” as he can, while also confirming his own potential.
A proper cyclist, Henri spends most of his downtime relaxing and recovering on the couch while not doing much else or catching up with his friends and family.
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