Gerben Thijssen

Gerben Thijssen, born on June 21, 1998, is a Belgian cyclist specializing in both road and track disciplines, currently competing for UCI WorldTeam Intermarché–Wanty. He has achieved notable success early in his career, including a bronze medal at the 2015 UCI Juniors Track World Championships in the points race and a silver medal at the 2016–17 UCI Track Cycling World Cup in team pursuit.

His professional road cycling achievements include victories in various races as a junior and U23 rider, highlighted by winning the Grote Prijs Stad Sint-Niklaas and a stage in Olympia's Tour. Thijssen also claimed the gold medal in the Elite Elimination Race at the 2017 UEC European Track Championships and became the Belgian U23 champion in 2018.

In November 2019, Thijssen suffered a serious crash at the Six Days of Ghent, leading to intensive care for three small brain haemorrhages. He made a comeback to compete in the 2020 Vuelta a España. In October 2023, Thijssen faced controversy for a racist gesture made by teammate Madis Mihkels in a photo he posted, resulting in their removal from the Tour of Guangxi by their team.

Thijssen's recent results include three professional wins in 2022 and four in 2023, with victories at the Gooikse Pijl, Tour de Pologne, Four Days of Dunkirk, Bredene Koksijde Classic, Grote Prijs Jean-Pierre Monseré, and Ronde van Limburg. In 2024, he continued his success with a win at the Trofeo Palma and in the Volta ao Algarve, capturing the Points classification and a stage win.