"I have given everything every day to get the best out of myself" - Thijs Aerts set to retire from cyclocross after this winter
Cyclocross
Thijs Aerts, younger brother of cyclocross star Toon Aerts, has announced his decision to retire from professional cyclocross at the end of the 2024/2025 season. The 28-year-old will bid farewell to the sport on 23 February at the Sluitingsprijs in Malle, marking the end of a journey that began when he was just 11 years old.
"Since my first steps in the world of cyclo-cross at the age of 11, I have been able to experience everything. Every mud section, every course, every victory and every setback have made me the rider I am today. I have been able to realize my childhood dreams thanks to my two teams Charles Liégeois Roastery CX and Baloise Trek Lions. With my brother Toon we have created countless memories," Aerts shared on the Intermarche-Wanty website.
Reflecting on his career, Aerts expressed pride in his efforts but admitted that the challenges of maintaining top performance had taken their toll. "I can proudly say that I have given everything every day to get the best out of myself. Recently I realised that the results were no longer in proportion to the sacrifices," he explained.
Looking ahead, Aerts plans to stay connected to the sport he loves, aiming to inspire and mentor future generations. "Only time will tell what I will do next, but one thing is for sure: cycling will undoubtedly continue to play a central role. I want to pass on my passion and experience of cyclocross to the next generations," he added.
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- Your sentence makes no sense.verve82504-01-2025
- Yates is a GT winner, he will be a big part of setting the pace in he high mountains just like Kuss has done in previous years. He is a big name for Visma.awp04-01-2025
- Yes, they're not better than them at coming in 10th placeVeganpotter04-01-2025
- He may not be concerned, exactly, but I guarantee you he is fully conscious of this move: Kuss, Jorgensen, and Yates make for a very powerful domestique, and I think the balance of power may have shifted to Visma.verve82504-01-2025
- I would change the phrase in the heading of this article from "very afraid" to "watch him a bit".Ride197404-01-2025
- You can't tell me he hasn't had a scan or xray to confirm any serious rib damage! What are they hiding?frieders304-01-2025
- I'm sure Tadeg is quite concrened with this...NOT !frieders304-01-2025
- I was hoping to see Tadej’s and understood you’d seen THAT.Mistermaumau04-01-2025
- I just used those two as an example of a sport rivalry, could have chosen any other sport but expected people would understand better if I stayed in cycling. That said, you seem to have misinterpreted what I tried to imply or missed that rivalry altogether. Before those two started turning heads on the road, they have a far more interesting and very long relationship in xc. WVA has paid a heavy price for the move to road cycling but he did put up some amazing performances when things were going right, very often taking one for the team which obviously doesn’t show in statistics. Real fans of cycling remember more than just results.Mistermaumau04-01-2025
- If you’re going to mention Kuss, you should mention Jorgensson too, potentially he could bring just as much.Mistermaumau04-01-2025