"We are top athletes and go to extremes": Dewulf on unorthodox vacation with Benoot and Vermeersch

The cycling season is upon us again, and riders are gearing up for 2025. Among them is Stan Dewulf from Decathlon AG2R, eager to prove himself after missing the spring season in 2024. "I’m at a point in my career where it’s time to step up," the friendly rider shared at his team’s media day in Lille, speaking with IDLProCycling.com.

Dewulf debuted as a trainee for Lotto Soudal at the end of 2018 and earned a permanent spot with the team. Strong performances in 2019 and 2020 caught the attention of AG2R, where his career took off. In 2021, he finished second in the Tour of Wallonia, eleventh at the European Championships, fourth in Paris-Tours, and a victory at the Boucles de l’Aulne. The following year, he finished fourth in Le Samyn and represented Belgium at the World Championships in Wollongong, won by Remco Evenepoel.

In 2023, things took a turn for the worse during the season and the cause was eventually identified as a pinched iliac artery, a common issue among cyclists. Surgery was required, forcing him to miss the spring of 2024—a tough pill to swallow. He returned to racing on May 1st at Eschborn-Frankfurt and displayed his talent later in the year. Dewulf finished fourth in the Tour of Wallonia, fifth in the highly competitive Renewi Tour, and concluded the season with a strong performance at the Tour of Guangxi.

“The contrast was significant, of course,” Dewulf summarized his 2024 season in one sentence. “I missed the classics, which hurt, watching from the couch. But after the summer, I found my form again, from Wallonia to China. Those results made me happier than I’ve been in other years. The Renewi Tour was even my best WorldTour result. Overall, it was a year of extreme highs and lows, a rollercoaster of emotions.”

"I was at the end of my contract, so the beginning of the year wasn’t a great period. But I really appreciated how things turned around by the end of the year," said Dewulf, who realized during his injury how much he loves his work and hobby. "I really missed cycling. In a way, taking a break like that might not be so bad because it makes you realize how great this job is. You’re away from home a lot, but it really reminded me that cycling is my thing."

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Dewulf enjoyed a challenging hiking vacation with Benoot and Vermeersch

The injury isn’t entirely a thing of the past, Dewulf explained. “That iliac artery remains something to keep an eye on, something we need to monitor closely. I’ve had multiple crashes on that left side, but at the end of last season, I was able to prove that I can perform at a high level. With the right care through physiotherapy, it should be fine for the rest of my career.”

Motivation isn’t an issue. “The Flemish races are now my focus, so I hope to keep up this good momentum. So far, I’ve had a solid winter where we’ve also been able to do some fun things. We went on a hiking trip with Tiesj Benoot and Florian Vermeersch, which I really enjoyed,” Dewulf said about a trip to Madeira. “Now I feel physically and mentally ready to give it my all this year.”

“Vacation hiking,” according to Dewulf, but it was a demanding one. “The four of us are really adventurous. I need different challenges during the month off. It was really fun. We are top athletes and go to extremes, but it was beautiful. During the season, you deal with a lot of pressure and stress, but on Madeira, there was none of that. We walked 35 kilometers in one day, so you really have to keep moving. But we did take time for lunch and such, keeping it light. It was a great group, and we really had a good time. It creates a certain bond,” Dewulf said with a laugh.

It wasn’t their only athletic challenge: with their cycling group, they also spent two days mountain biking through the Netherlands, and on New Year’s Eve, they capped it off with a 190-kilometer ride. "With our Ghent connection, we have a group we started a few years ago. It’s a tradition we stick to: starting the season with a mountain bike weekend, which is super fun. This year, we went to Breda and Tilburg, but we’ve also been to the Maastricht region and Leuven.”

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Dewulf feeling at home at Decathlon AG2R

Dewulf is ready. With Decathlon AG2R, he hopes to leave his mark in the spring classics, a challenging feat in today’s cycling world. “We’ve already been together in Flanders. We know we don’t have a Mathieu van der Poel, Wout van Aert, or Tadej Pogacar, but it was good to spend time together now. This is about the only time for it since there’s always someone away at other times. We’ve had open discussions and plenty of conversations. In a team like ours, it’s about give and take.”

“We’re doing everything we can to take another step forward, and I’m also at a pivotal point in my career. I’m turning 27, and these are the most important years where I hope everything starts falling into place," says the Belgian, who feels at home with the French team. “Decathlon has a unique philosophy that I haven’t seen much in cycling. I remember when they came to us during last year’s training camp before we started riding the Van Rysel bikes. They didn’t come saying, ‘We have the best bike,’ but rather, ‘We have a bike, and you need to test it.’ That mentality, combined with their innovative approach, sets them apart.”

“Another example is their aero bike," he continues. "They hadn’t planned to make one originally, but during development, they realized they could create a faster bike. From that point, it was a go, which is perhaps uncharacteristic for a French company. Decathlon operates on a global scale, which benefits us as riders. They just go for it and always strive for improvement. It’s all in the details, and there’s much more thought behind their work. There’s a clear philosophy. Take the time trials, where we’ve reestablished ourselves. Decathlon believes there’s still even more potential there.”

Given the youth of the French team’s roster, a lot is expected of Dewulf. “I’m becoming one of the more experienced riders. Some of us know the team inside out, and we can pass that on to the younger guys. I’m happy to take on that responsibility, and it’s something I enjoy. I also believe in this principle: it’s better to make a bad decision than to make no decision at all.”

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