After an impressive second season at this level, showcasing himself as a good domestique in the stage races, whilst excelling in some big one-day races, Stan Van Tricht has earned himself a 2020 move from his Belgian team GM Recycling to SEG Racing Academy.
I spoke to Stan ahead of the U23 Worlds RR, where we spoke about his season, his goals and his transfer to one of the world’s best development teams. Get to know the young Belgian better with this interview.
“I had some good weeks in the spring, with Flanders and Liege. Those were big goals for the season and I did well there. Then, my next goal was l’Avenir. It was a hard race because there was a lot of climbing. I like the climbs, but there was too much there, which made it hard. I did some top twenty places on the stages, which I was quite happy about. Now the Worlds are my final big goal.”
Speaking about his ideal parcours, Stan is obviously a Classics man. But we asked him if there was a set one-day parcours that really suits him best.
“I’d say Flanders to Liege and everything else in between is suited for me. Bergs are more my forte than mountains.”
SEG have snapped him up for the 2020 season, and whilst he harbors some GC ambitions, Stan’s biggest goals are to try and improve on his 10th places at both Flanders and Liege next year.
“My goals with SEG are to do better in Flanders and Liege. I also want to maybe excel in a big tour like the Baby Giro or l’Avenir. Perhaps I can try and do a good GC there.”
Stan was freely admitting that SEG Racing’s record of sending guys to the WorldTour (they average about three or four guys over the last few seasons or so) was a big reason why they were his choice of new employer, along with the strong race calendar they could offer him.
“My big goal is to eventually reach the WorldTour. SEG was an obvious choice for me.”
Despite, excelling in a variety of one-day races, it’s the biggest race in the youngster’s home region that he dreams of winning the most.
“Tour of Flanders. I like Liege, but I do prefer Flanders. It’s where I’m from.”
Stan Van Tricht had a really good season, and his talents, combined with his willingness to work for others, will make him a big success at SEG Racing Academy next year. With their coaching, which is elite at this level, there is no telling how good he will be. He has laid down markers at Flanders and Liege, now we must wait for almost half a year to see if he can improve on his top tens, and perhaps even win.
U23 Cycling Zone wishes to thank Stan for taking the time to speak with us, and we wish him all the best for his 2020 season. You can follow Stan on Instagram here, but his account is private.
U23 Cycling Zone 