Jan Bakelants completes Unound Gravel in 14th place: "It was also more of a mental test than a physical test"
Cycling
Jan Bakelants successfully concluded the Unbound Gravel in 14th more than half an hour behind the winner. The former pro talked about the impression the race left on him.
"It was really tough mentally. During the race I questioned myself ten times," the respected member of Wielerclub Wattage was honest.
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"The first part of the race has actually gone completely wrong. At the start I was told that we might have to walk because there was mud," Bakelants explained.
"I was not aware of the seriousness of the situation and made the mistake of riding in the mud for a while. My bike was full of mud, which locked my wheels and I had to get off."
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"Unlike the rest, I didn't have a wooden spatula with me to get the mud off my bike. So I tried it with my hands, but that took a lot of time."
"I haven't really been able to train, so I have to be satisfied with my 14th place. At the moment I am mainly satisfied that it is over. It was also more of a mental test than a physical test."
"Perhaps pride will dominate soon. Although I still have to consider whether I want to do this again," Bakelants concluded honestly.
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Ondrej ZhasilCycling Journalist
Ondřej Zhasil is a cycling journalist at CyclingUpToDate and has been part of the team since 2023. He is based in Ostrava, the third-largest city in the Czech Republic, and covers professional cycling across the main UCI competitions, including the Tour de France, the Giro d’Italia, and La Vuelta a España. A key focus of his work is startlist analysis and pre-race coverage, where he examines team selections, rider line-ups, and tactical scenarios ahead of major events.
Alongside WorldTour coverage, Ondřej has developed specific expertise in junior cycling and in racing across East Asia, including competitions in China and Japan. He also maintains a broad working knowledge of other disciplines and levels, including cyclocross, while continuing to expand his understanding of mountain bike racing.
Ondřej holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics and Physics, which supports his analytical, data-driven approach to performance and race analysis. In his reporting, he regularly uses ProCyclingStats for results, statistics, and historical context. He places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available.
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