19-year-old Van Kerckhove impresses sports director: “He has made tremendous progress”

Van Kerckhove is one of the top talents in the Dutch team’s development squad. This year, he’s already gotten a taste of the big races in the Ruta del Sol, Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne, and Le Samyn with the WorldTour team.

In Croatia, he won the queen stage on Saturday, which was crowned with the overall classification on Sunday. “It was an incredibly tough day, but I’m very happy that we succeeded. We really did it together as a team. That’s what I’m most proud of. These are my first victories for the team. I see this as an important step in my career.”

The 19-year-old Belgian, who will ride for the WorldTour team next year, says on the team’s website that he is reaping the rewards of his first few months. “I’ve already had the chance to ride in a number of professional races, and I’ve learned a lot from them. That’s paying off now. For me, this season is all about development.”

Team manager Sierk Jan de Haan is also pleased. ‘It was anything but easy this week. Everyone sacrificed themselves to secure Matisse’s leader’s jersey. We came under fire with attacks from all sides. Defending a lead was something new for the guys. A great learning experience, with a fantastic end result.’

A year ago, things were different for Van Kerckhove in Croatia, De Haan recalls. ‘Back then, Matisse was sitting next to me in the car during the final stage because he’d had to drop out the day before due to an injury. A year later, he’s winning the race. He’s really made tremendous progress.’

'He’s already gotten a taste of the real deal with the WorldTeam. After a solid training block in the winter, he’s showing up here in good form too. This week, Matisse is racing against peers his own age, and that’s when you really have to prove yourself,’ the sports director continues.

‘He’s not only succeeding through his performances, but he’s also truly taken on a leadership role within the team by guiding his teammates. I really enjoy seeing that,’ concludes De Haan.