Tudor Pro Cycling rider knocked unconscious on a training ride by a group of thugs

Arvid de Kleijn has not yet raced in 2026 — and the reasons tell the story of one of the most turbulent years a professional cyclist can have. The Tudor Pro Cycling rider has been recovering from a broken collarbone, welcomed the birth of his daughter, and lost his father, all in a year. And then to add yetmore injury to serious injury, he was attacked while training by a group of teenagers near a music festival. He has now spoken about his remarkable year to Dutch newspaper De Telegraaf.

De Kleijn's last race was the Tour de Langkawi in late 2025, where he won two stages. After that race, the Dutch sprinter did not compete again. The Giro d'Italia briefly appeared on the horizon this year, but his daughter's birth, the death of his father and a deeply troubling incident with a group of drunk teenagers all intervened.

His daughter Fye was born on 6 January — but it was not straightforward. "Céline" — his wife — "couldn't get out of bed for a long time, so it mainly fell on me." De Kleijn had been scheduled for a training camp, but his team was understanding. "In the end I didn't go — I had to look after both my girls for ten days."

During that period, De Kleijn's father — who had already been diagnosed with a terminal illness — began to deteriorate. "He wasn't expected to make it to Christmas 2025, but he held on." That meant he was able, just barely, to share in the birth of his granddaughter. "That was very special. My father was always a big, strong man."

In February, his condition deteriorated quickly. "In those final weeks you don't want it to go on, because then the process of suffering is long and painful. The way it went gave everyone in the family peace, and we look back on a beautiful farewell." And then, shortly afterwards, came that other incident.

It happened near the Paaspop music festival in Schijndel, in the Dutch province of North Brabant. "I was out training and hadn't thought about the fact it was Paaspop. I rode past a group of about ten lads, 15, 16, 17 years old. They started abusing me — using the name of the disease that killed my father." He stopped and turned back.

"I turned around to have a word with them. To ask why they were using that word, why they were behaving like that." But the situation rapidly escalated. "They'd been drinking, probably more. You couldn't have a sensible conversation with them. When I decided to ride away, they started coming for me. There was one on a fatbike behind me on the right who suddenly threw a punch." The blow had serious consequences. "I was knocked unconscious and broke my nose in the fall."

But De Kleijn says that is not the worst part of it. "What's most upsetting is that you see this more and more — a generation that has lost respect for other people." Nine of the ten teenagers were eventually stopped by police, but not the one who actually threw the punch. "The process is unfortunately still ongoing, but I'm glad they won't just get away with it."

After everything that has happened, De Kleijn can finally think about racing again. The Tudor rider will start his season at Rund um Köln this coming Sunday. "I'm really looking forward to racing again," he says in closing.