Thomas De Gendt - "Cycling has totally changed in the last ten years"

As an experienced and seasoned rider, Thomas De Gendt has been part of the cycling world for long enough to witness its growth and transformation.

In a recent interview with Nieuwsblad, Thomas De Gendt commented on how he stacks up against the younger generation of cyclists, as well as his overall thoughts on the state of cycling today. "Cycling has totally changed in the last ten years at all levels. The approach is totally different from when I started. It has become much more demanding at all levels,” De Gendt said.

He shared that his approach to diet is more flexible, and he tends to eat based on his mood or preferences, whereas the younger generation follows strict rules to the last detail. "Young riders measure everything, especially in terms of their diet. For my part, when I'm hungry, I fill my plate with rice. They will weigh and take the recommended quantity to the nearest gram. In my opinion, that is still part of the pleasure of being a cyclist. If I had started today, I would never have lasted 15 years in the peloton.”

The newer generation of cyclists tend to train more methodically, while De Gendt sticks to his tried-and-true training approach.“The younger ones constantly watch their instructor to control their power and will never exceed what was prescribed by the trainer. It's another way of doing it. It's become a habit for them, but it doesn't suit me at all,” explains De Gendt.

With the competition getting tougher day by day, even the smallest of races cannot be taken for granted. "Before, there were events that were less contested, less stressful. Today, every day of racing is as important as each other. It's a bit the same mentality as in the juniors ,” concluded De Gendt.