"I now have a much richer life than when I was a cyclist" - Former junior rival of Remco Evenepoel has no regrets about early retirement

Not many riders can claim a victory over Remco Evenepoel in the junior ranks of cycling. One of those who can recall such a triumph however, is the now 24-year-old Belgian Xandres Vervloesem. In a sharp contrast to the current success of Evenepoel though, Vervloesem's cycling career has already reached its end.

After starring performances at the junior level, Vervloesem earned himself a move to the big time in 2019 at Team DSM-Firmenich PostNL, which was then still known as Team Sunweb. Sadly for all involved however, the transfer to the Dutch-based team didn't work out well for either party.

"I had moved to the Netherlands and was isolated there, far away from my friends. During my time with the DSM promises I lost the joy of cycling," he told Sporza. "If you really want to become a professional cyclist, you will do everything for it with social isolation as a danger. I now have a much richer life than when I was a cyclist. I can maintain many more social contacts and also do other activities and other sports. Stopping racing for good was a good choice."

Even a return to Belgium via Lotto Dstny couldn't get Vervloesem back to a level where it seemed he may have a future in professional cycling. As such, in 2022 he decided to cut his losses and call it a day. The Belgian isn't completely done with the sport though and now intends to use his disappointing experience for good, helping the next generation avoid the pitfalls he succumbed to.

"Also pay more attention to the social aspect so that cycling does not lead to social isolation," he urges teams looking after young rider's mental health, insisting happiness and enjoyment should be the most important thing for a developing rider. "Cycling is also about doing things with other people that you can enjoy."