Puncheur
DOB 29-06-2001
AGE OF DIAGNOSIS 14
YEARS WITH TEAM 4
Obstacles don’t have to stop you. If you run into a wall, don’t turn around and give up. Figure out how to climb it, go through it or work around it.
PROFILE
Heading into his second year as a Team Novo Nordisk professional, Belgian puncheur Robbe Ceurens aims to put all he learned in 2022 to good use in 2023 and push onto the next level.
Repeated top ten finishes and impressive performances throughout 2021 saw Ceurens earn a stagiaire role with the senior TNN pro team for the Tour of Denmark, with the then 20-year-old doing enough to be offered his first professional contract for 2022.
2021 saw Ceurens continue into his second year with the Team Novo Nordisk development team after completing a positive backend to the 2020 season with a top ten at the Tour of Mevlana in Turkey and second place at the Dalton Gran Prix criterium and third place at the Dalton Gran Prix road race near the teams home base in Atlanta, GA.
They say cycling runs in the family in Belgium and Ceurens is no different. Growing up with a grandfather as a sports director of a local team and other family members racing, Ceurens took up the bike early and started racing at the tender age of 10 years old.
An only child, Ceurens spent significant time riding around his neighbourhood with friends and going to races with his grandfather.
When he was 14, Ceurens unexpectedly started getting dropped in races and was unable to finish. He went to his doctor for tests and was immediately sent to the hospital where his diabetes diagnosis was confirmed. The hospital reassured him that he could still ride and race his bike, which gave Ceurens hope and perspective. Soon he began researching online to learn about diet and diabetes management.
2017 proved to be a watershed moment for Ceurens when he won his first Belgian kermesse after his diabetes diagnosis. He continued to develop and by 2019, he earned two wins and 17 top ten finishes.
During his online research, Ceurens discovered Team Novo Nordisk and made it his primary goal to become a part of the team. In 2017, he attended the team’s annual Talent ID camp and raced for the Team Type 1 Junior Team in 2019. This helped him earn a place on the development team for the 2020 season. Ceurens states that he is even more motivated and focused and is driven to show what is possible with diabetes.
Off the bike, 21 year old Ceurens is interested in the informatics field of study and outside of school spends his time with family and friends.