# Rising Star: Xandres Vervloesem Joins Lotto Soudal WorldTeam
As the new cycling season begins, Lotto Soudal is eager to showcase its promising newcomers, among them Xandres Vervloesem. At just 20 years old, the transition from the Lotto Soudal U23 team to the WorldTeam marks an important milestone in his budding career.
Vervloesem remarked, “To turn pro at the age of twenty is something I didn’t expect at all. In my first year as an U23 rider, I had very little race days due to health problems. The following year, I was given the opportunity and the confidence to further develop myself within the Lotto Soudal U23 team of Kurt Van de Wouwer. My first season as an U23 rider was not what I hoped for, so I thought that I would need several years to grow. But the summer of 2020 suddenly changed a lot.”
Indeed, a pivotal moment came in September 2020 when Vervloesem claimed the general classification at the Ronde de l’Isard, a highly regarded stage race for young climbers. Reflecting on the past year, he said, “Last year, partly because of the COVID-19 situation, I had the time to slowly build the shape, to train well, but above all to just enjoy riding my bike. This was for me the perfect way to make progress.”
Despite mixed results leading up to the Ronde de l’Isard, he felt the spark of potential during training. “The legs felt – partly thanks to a training camp abroad – pretty good, but it was still a shot in the dark. It didn’t really work out during the Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc, but it did go really well during the Ronde de l’Isard,” he explained.
Transitioning to the professional level, Vervloesem appreciates the comfort of staying in a familiar setting. “The choice for the Lotto Soudal WorldTeam was a deliberate decision. After one year at a non-Belgian team, I realized that I attach a lot of importance to being home and around people I know. The fact that within Lotto Soudal, I am surrounded by a lot of Belgian riders and staff gives me some peace of mind. At a young age, you are still doubting about yourself that little bit more and it is important for me to stay in the comfort zone,” he shared.
In terms of his racing style, Vervloesem’s versatility shines through. “Despite the overall win at the Ronde de l’Isard, I don’t consider myself as a pure climber. I am more the type of rider who likes to maintain a hard but steady pace. At the U23 category, I was up there amongst the best climbers, but I don’t have that extra acceleration just yet. That is why I don’t want to limit myself to only being a climber and in the coming years, I want to progress in the various aspects of cycling. Besides, I aim to serve the team as good as possible. At the moment, I don’t have any personal ambitions yet,” he concluded.
As Vervloesem embarks on this exciting new chapter, both he and Lotto Soudal are poised for a promising future.
*Photo credit: Photo News*
