Tiesj Benoot

This is the page about Tiesj Benoot. The Belgian cyclist has been riding for Jumbo-Visma since 2022. Benoot won the Strade Bianche in 2018 and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne in 2023. IDLProCycling.com keeps a close eye on all news related to Benoot, along with maintaining a biography of his career.

Benoot's progress stalls after strong debut

Tiesj Benoot was born on March 11, 1994, in the Belgian city of Ghent. At the end of 2014, he moved from the Lotto Soudal U23 team to the main squad. Benoot made an immediate impression in his debut year with strong finishes in one-day races, such as a fourth place in Le Samyn and a sixth place in Dwars door Vlaanderen. However, his best was yet to come. In the Tour of Flanders, Benoot showcased his considerable talent by finishing among the top fifteen riders. In the final stages, he even broke away with Lars Boom and beat the Dutchman in the sprint for fifth place.

Later in the year (2015), Benoot also demonstrated his capability in challenging stage races. He finished second in the Tour of Belgium and sixth in the Eneco Tour. Initially, he continued to focus on the classics. His strong debut in the Tour of Flanders quickly brought significant pressure from the Flemish media. In the following years, however, he struggled to confirm his early promising talent. His climbing skills did improve, though. In 2017, he achieved a twelfth-place finish in the Critérium du Dauphiné and a twentieth-place finish in the Tour de France.

Benoot's epic victory in Strade Bianche and his move to Sunweb

In 2018, Benoot took a significant step forward. On the white roads of Tuscany, the Belgian once again showed his great talent. That year's Strade Bianche was marred by bad weather, but Benoot wasn't deterred. In the final stages, he caught up with the breakaway riders Romain Bardet and Wout van Aert, eventually dropping them on one of the most challenging sections. By winning the Strade Bianche, he finally confirmed his immense potential in the classics.

Despite the magnificent victory, Benoot struggled to win again afterwards. His performances remained solid, but new victories were elusive. The partnership with Lotto Soudal didn't seem to be furthering his development. In 2019, the Belgian made a decision. He sought new challenges and joined Team Sunweb, where he, like at his previous team, could lead in the classics.

At Sunweb, Benoot achieves his best form again

With the new impetus from his team, Benoot started the 2020 season strongly. In the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, he showed his strength in the final stages alongside Van Aert. Although a victory eluded him, it was clear Benoot was in top form. He then participated in Paris-Nice, reaching a new milestone. He finished third in the first stage and achieved even more in the sixth stage to Apt. In a challenging stage, he attacked on the penultimate climb. His teammate Søren Kragh Andersen, who had dropped back from the lead group, waited for him. The Dane towed Benoot at full speed, after which the Belgian managed to keep the pursuers at bay on his own. Besides the stage win, he also moved up to second place in the general classification.

Starting the final stage in Valdeblore La Colmiane 36 seconds behind, he was the strongest behind Nairo Quintana, who proved to be the best climber. In the final kilometers, Benoot launched an ultimate attack on the leader's jersey of Maximilian Schachmann. He managed to put the German under pressure but ultimately fell short for the overall victory. He still achieved second place in the general classification, his first podium in a WorldTour stage race.

Benoot fails to find top form in 2021 

After Paris-Nice, the cycling calendar was halted due to the coronavirus. When the season resumed, Benoot struggled to regain his top form. At the World Championships in Imola, he rode strongly for lead rider Van Aert, who won silver. Benoot finished the season well, with eighth place in Liège-Bastogne-Liège and tenth in the Tour of Flanders.

2021 was not a good year for Benoot. He finished fifth in the general classification of Paris-Nice and seventh in Liège-Bastogne-Liège, but the rest of the season was disappointing. In the Tour de France, he had to abandon after several crashes in the opening days. He failed to make an impact for the rest of the season.

Benoot terminates contract with Sunweb and joins Jumbo-Visma

Despite having a contract, Benoot moved to Jumbo-Visma in the winter of 2021. The Dutch team realized the need to better support Van Aert in the classics, and Benoot hoped that being on a team with a top rider like Van Aert would increase his chances of winning. A win-win situation.

In the opening race of the Flemish cycling season, the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Benoot immediately showed why Jumbo-Visma had signed him. The Belgian initiated the action on the Berendries, leading to an elite group formation: Van Aert, Tom Pidcock, Jhonatan Narváez, and Sonny Colbrelli were the only ones who could follow. Benoot even broke away from this group but was caught on the Wall of Geraardsbergen. Van Aert was the strongest that day and won with a 12-kilometer solo.

Benoot proves his worth in spring season and in the Tour de France, accident ends his season

A crash in the Strade Bianche nearly disrupted Benoot's season, but the 2018 winner was ready for the rest of the spring. He played an important role in Van Aert's victory in the E3 Saxo Bank Classic. A few days later, he was allowed to race for himself in Dwars Door Vlaanderen, finishing an impressive second behind Mathieu van der Poel.

In the Tour de France, Benoot became a key support rider for both Jonas Vingegaard and Van Aert. Vingegaard secured Jumbo-Visma's first Tour de France victory. A week after the Tour, Benoot rode strongly in the Clasica San Sebastian, finishing third. However, during a training camp in Livigno in early August, Benoot was hit by a car and broke a vertebra in his neck. This accident abruptly ended his season, but more importantly, Benoot was okay under the circumstances.

Following a lengthy rehabilitation, Benoot made a strong comeback at the start of 2023, participating in the opening weekend. The rider from Ghent contended for top honors in both the Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, impressively clinching the latter race with a solo victory. A week later, he also secured a third-place finish in Strade Bianche, and in the spring, he earned several other places of honor in races like the Tour of Flanders, Flèche Wallonne, and Liège-Bastogne-Liège. Throughout these, he was, as always, a key player in support of Wout van Aert.

Heading into the Tour de France, Benoot was again given a crucial role in the strong team built around Jonas Vingegaard, who once more emerged victorious in the French grand tour. For the remainder of the year, Benoot achieved top ten finishes in the Clasica San Sebastian, the World Championships in Glasgow, and the Bretagne Classic.