Standing at almost two metres tall, Joost’s towering and imposing figure doesn’t match his endearing and friendly nature, with the Dutch native talkative and outgoing, something that is reflected in his love for the sport.
Although his parents didn’t race, they rode their bikes recreationally and Joost’s mum always had her bike hanging around. While he was growing up, Joost always tried to fit on her bike, and eventually the day came where he could finally do so. From that moment, he loved the sport. The first local club he joined was more of a touring club but ever the competitor at heart, Joost wanted to race and joined another club – completing his first race at around the age of 7.
For Joost, cycling started out as something fun as he tried several other sports such as football, volleyball, and hockey, but nothing gripped him as much as riding a bike did, and still does.