On a sporting level, Nathan Van Hooydonck (26) achieved his big breakthrough last year, but 2021 had a jet-black end for the rider and his partner. On December 28, they lost their newborn son. A very candid Van Hooydonck tells how he copes with the tragic loss.
A few days ago, Nathan Van Hooydonck shared the terrible news on Instagram about the death of his newborn son Thiago in the last days of 2021.
Van Hooydonck is now on an internship in Spain with his Jumbo-Visma team and is trying to pick up the thread of professional life on the eve of the season by trial and error.
“First and foremost I have a fantastic woman next to me,” the courageous Van Hooydonck tells our reporter. “She has supported me in everything.”
“We are going through a very dark period. The day after the funeral I started cycling and that was very good.”
“We then discussed whether I would come here. The team let me go there, but Alicia said it would do me good. The internship in Spain creates a lot of distraction.”
“Thanks to her I can handle it a little better. Every day I can try to do what I have to do and what people expect of me.”
“She is my mainstay. She is not here, but we have a lot of contact via FaceTime. I may be home in a few days because it is not going, but the team is also supporting me. They are fantastic.”
(read on under the Instagram post about the death)
“I try to throw myself 100 percent, but if it’s less, I’ll settle into a different role”
Nathan Van Hooydonck tells his story with remarkably bravery, but it must be an infernal task to keep the mind on the bike.
“I constantly think about the loss. Some days are better than others, but when I leave for training in our village for example and see a pram, my heart breaks into a thousand pieces.”
“However, we have a few fools here in the team who keep the atmosphere in it and then you can change your mind a bit, but laughing exuberantly is not there yet and that will not be for soon.”
Does Van Hooydonck feel completely in the dark about his sporting agreements? “I haven’t done anything for a while, but I don’t worry about that at all.”
“I try to throw myself 100 percent. If I ride a less good spring, I will adapt to a different role. Everyone will understand that, I think.”
“As long as I do my best, I can’t blame myself. And I don’t care much about what others think.”
Some days are better than others, but when I leave for training in our village, for example, and see a pram, my heart breaks into a thousand pieces.
“Our team was not good enough for a leader like Wout van Aert”
Nathan Van Hooydonck was one of Wout van Aert’s bodyguards in 2021. He himself finished 7th in Gent-Wevelgem, the classic that his leader won. Van Hooydonck and his leader have received a lot of reinforcements for the Flemish work.
“We had a good team, but it was not good enough for a leader like Wout van Aert. We have invested enormously well.”
The own goals, which Van Hooydonck is still trying to hold on to. “Last year I was able to ride a final and I want to repeat that.”
“Getting a result in the Ronde of Roubaix is not easy, but I still believe in it. And I also want to be able to win with the team. I can play a crucial role in that.”
Watch Nathan Van Hooydonck’s testimonial:
