"Time to share something I'd rather not have to write" – Promising Belgian talent forced into retirement aged just 25 after "horror season"

Promising Belgian rider Luca De Meester has announced his retirement from professional cycling at just 25 years old, bringing an abrupt end to a career that once promised much for the powerful classics rider.

In a heartfelt Instagram post, De Meester revealed that ongoing medical problems had left him with no choice but to step away from the sport.

“Time to share something I’d rather not have to write,” he began. “Due to, among other things, medical reasons, I have to put an end to my career as a professional cyclist. It’s a sentence that hurts to type, but at the same time I’m grateful that I’m still able to write this message, after what’s been a horror season.”

The Gent-born rider reflected proudly on a career that spanned from the Belgian amateur circuit to the biggest one-day races in the world. “I look back on a beautiful career that I’m very proud of — with more than a hundred victories, Belgian titles in my youth years, and participation as a pro in the Tour of Flanders, Paris–Roubaix, Liège–Bastogne–Liège and just about all the great Spring Classics.”

De Meester first caught attention on the domestic U23 scene with EFC-L&R Vulsteke, where he racked up over a hundred wins in youth and elite-amateur races — including victories in the U23 Road Series and top-ten finishes at Paris–Tours Espoirs. His raw power and fast finish quickly earned him a place in the Bingoal WB development structure.

By 2024 he had made the full step up to the ProTeam level, riding the cobbled Monuments and a string of 1.Pro races as a reliable rouleur and breakaway presence. His aggressive style and durability on hard terrain made him a valuable teammate in the northern classics, even if a marquee professional victory eluded him.

The 2025 season, raced under the Wagner Bazin WB banner, was described by De Meester as a “horrorseason” marked by health setbacks and inconsistent form. Despite flashes of resilience — including top-20s in Antwerp Port Epic and Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen, and fifth in the mountains classification at the 4 Jours de Dunkerque — he never fully regained rhythm.

De Meester’s farewell message mixed emotion with gratitude. He thanked teammates, coaches and family for their unwavering support, while promising that his connection with cycling will continue in some form.

“Cycling has given me not only memories, but also friendships for life,” he wrote. “The love for the bike remains just as strong. And those who know me, know that I can’t sit still. Big plans are already on the horizon — stay tuned.”

Though his professional racing days have ended, De Meester departs with respect across the Belgian peloton — remembered as a powerful, committed rider who fought his way from local kermesses to the cobbles of Flanders and Roubaix.