ProTeam Robin Orins shares his story on World Mental Health Day

"Over the past few months, Robin Orins disappeared from our socials. No photos, no videos, no race results – none of what should have been his first spring as a pro." We shared that update last summer, just before the holidays. Robin had signed his professional contract with Lotto at the end of 2023. 2024 was supposed to be his breakthrough year with the Development team: he won the U23 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, became Belgian time trial champion, and delivered a strong ride at the World Championships in Zurich. The future looked bright. But after that World Championship, everything changed. "The lights just went out," Robin later wrote in a brutally honest blog post. "Physically and mentally, I was completely empty. While others were celebrating their off-season, I was having panic attacks and crying for hours, trying to find myself again. I was scared, even of myself."

Robin sought and found help, from psychologists and a psychiatrist. He climbed out of the deep valley, slowly but steadily, step by step, rediscovering himself and his love for cycling. By the end of July, he returned to the peloton at the Tour de Wallonie. And tomorrow, he’ll line up for Il Lombardia, the classic of the falling leaves, the final monument of the season.

Today, October 10th and World Mental Health Day, Robin Orins shares his full story. Honest and unfiltered. About the dark place he was in a few months ago, and about the road back. "I took medication, and suddenly everything hit me ten times harder… But once I had one positive experience, I realized I could still feel something good. The more often it happened, the better I started to feel. That first short jog felt like a victory. The first ride back on the bike, I felt like a stranger in the world. But it became familiar again, I learned to live with my fears."

Robin- and we, together with him at Lotto Cycling Team- believe that sharing his story can help others. "I was in my final year as a U23 rider; it was the year of ‘having to’. That pressure came from myself, not from others. I wanted to turn pro, so in my head, I had to live for it obsessively. I don’t think I’m the only one with that story. But today, I know that talking about it helps. And I hope that anyone going through a tough time can see, through my story, that they’re not alone."

Watch the full video, created by Lotto Cycling Team, on the Lotto Cycling Team Instagram page.

Picture: Brecht Steenhouwer