People often ask me why I’m not on a World Tour team yet. When I wanted to turn professional at the end of 2014, there was so much talent in my age group. Tiesj Benoot, Rick Zabel, Dylan van Baarle, Caleb Ewan…World Tour teams had their pick of the best U23 riders in the world. Even if you had a great year, there were riders who were better than me.
I had a stagiaire role with Trek Factory Racing at the end of the year and I was grateful for it. I felt things went well. I ended up turning pro with a Pro Continental team. The experience was a disaster. It wasn’t a good environment. A bad environment can hold a young rider back big time. We had no coach and no real plan. I was young and had no idea of how things are meant to be but I thought to myself, I’m not sure I want to be a professional if this was the cycling world.
In the end, it helped me develop and make me stronger. I didn’t realise it at the time but when I look back I take some lessons from it. I’m the kind of person who always looks at things differently. I don’t just want to be a good cyclist, I want to have a good approach to my life.
I chose to focus on my studies first before turning my attention to cycling. I obtained a degree in economics. When I started focusing on my cycling at 21, I never had anyone who believed in me because I didn’t come strongly through the junior ranks.
Everything changed for me in 2016 when for the first time I had people around me who told me I could make it. I remember the moment well. It was in the Tour of Luxembourg. I was in a team with big riders like Ciolek, Gerdemann and Wegmann who were the team leaders for the race. I was still young, and my job was to help but I was out of contract at the end of the year and wanted to show myself in my home race.
It’s a race that suits me and I am always motivated for it, but I didn’t have many race days leading up to it. It was a big blow for me. I gave the situation some thought and trained really really hard for the race. I rode harder in training than I would in the race.
I thought if I did a pretty good prologue, I would have a chance of a good result. I trained specifically for the prologue but in the end, I didn’t do a good result. I thought my chance was gone.
Then on the first uphill finish, I was third behind Philippe Gilbert. He only caught me in the last metres before the line. With some more experience, I could have won the stage. That was the turning point for me because there was a strong start list to the race. I finished the race third overall. I was proud of that result because I didn’t sit on the couch and pity myself. I got out there and gave it my all and prepared really well for the race.
I can’t remember one race this season where I haven’t attacked at least once.
This stage in the Tour of Luxembourg was a turning point for Alex. here he is close to victory. Photo: Serge Waldbillig/Luxemburger Wort
Le Samyn last year was another indication that I am on the right path. I targeted the race and finished second. It was an important result for me. It was the third race of the classics season and I wanted to repay the team for the trust they had in me. I went back to the race this year and was nervous. I wanted to do well again. When they announced Terpstra and Gilbert I thought, oh man, this is a tough field. At one point, there was a crosswind and we split. There were eight of us in front – six Quick Step riders with me and another guy. To get rid of all the other Quick Step riders and finish with Terpstra and Gilbert was a big moment for me. I ended up sixth.
I can’t remember one race this season where I haven’t attacked at least once.
I have a leadership role in my current team and it’s not something I am always comfortable with. I’m working on embracing it and handling the responsibility better.
My goal now is to end up in a World Tour team and if you look at my results, I am always consistent. I’m not the type of rider who will win Flanders but I am always up there making an impact. I’m not the kind to just sit in the bunch and wait to get dropped. I like thinking differently.
When I was in the breakaway in Gent-Wevelgem, I attacked because I knew if I got over the Kemmelberg in a good position, I could get a result. I enjoyed showing myself that day. That’s the kind of racing I like. I made a small mistake when the group caught us and was out of position a bit, I needed to know the course better. I would have had an even better result.
In Flanders, my plan was to attack exactly where the Mads Pedersen group went but again I was out of position a bit when they went. I tried to get across but me alone against five riders didn’t work out so I sat up.
Results are not everything, so you need to show yourself and hopefully, there is a team out there that trusts in you. I’m still developing, I feel like I have a lot to give.
All Photos: Serge Waldbillig/Luxemburger Wort
