Algemeen Welcome to the other side: Jasper De Buyst retires as a professional cyclist and becomes performance manager at Lotto-Intermarché
It was in 2015 that Jasper De Buyst first appeared in the peloton in the colours of Lotto– Lotto-Soudal at the time. De Buyst joined the team as a 22-year-old on a two-year contract, only to end up staying for the rest of his career. He won Binche-Chimay-Binche, GP Stad Zottegem, the Heistse Pijl and stages in the Tour of Denmark and Tour de Wallonie. He also made his mark on the track, winning several Belgian titles and international medals. But above all, over the years Jasper De Buyst developed into a lead-out man his sprinters could blindly rely on– together with Caleb Ewan, he formed one of the most successful sprint duos in the peloton between 2019 and 2023–, a familiar face whom the younger riders at Lotto-Intermarché look up to and a key figure within the team. And that is exactly what he will remain. While his story as a rider will come to an end after this season, De Buyst will take on a prominent role as performance manager at Lotto-Intermarché from 2027 onwards.
The move to the performance staff is not a leap into the unknown for De Buyst. Over the past few years, he has developed a growing interest in everything that goes into a rider's performance. He now wants to use his experience as a professional to help make the next generation of Lotto-Intermarché riders better. “I will be responsible for everything that falls under performance,” Jasper De Buyst explains about his new role at Lotto-Intermarché. “That includes equipment choices, but also coordinating, aligning and setting out the direction together with coaches, doctors, physiotherapists, nutritionists… So it is an incredibly broad role, and one I am eager to take on. I can see where there is room for improvement within the team, I understand what riders need and I want to help make those improvements happen.”
Taking on his new role in 2027 also means bringing his career as a professional cyclist to an end. “Sooner than expected, in a way. Physically, I still feel great. My heart is beating exactly as it should and I am not afraid to race. But when I underwent an ablation on the atrium of my heart in March, I naturally had a lot of time to think. For the past few years, I had already made up my mind that I wanted to stay involved in cycling in some capacity. I had been talking to the team since the beginning of this season. Would I continue as a rider or not? During those emotional and uncertain months of my recovery, I decided that it had been enough. When the Performance Manager position became vacant at a certain point, I decided to take the opportunity. It is a role that suits me because I can still approach it very much from a rider's perspective.”
For sports manager Kurt Van de Wouwer, De Buyst's transition is a natural one. “Jasper joined us as a young rider from Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise and has grown into someone who means an enormous amount to this team. In recent years, we increasingly noticed that Jasper was not only focused on his own performances, but was also very interested in how we operate as a team and as a performance staff. He asks the right questions, contributes ideas and shares his experience with other riders. That combination of race knowledge, experience and interest in performance makes him particularly well suited to this role in our view. On top of that, Jasper understands the reality of being a rider better than anyone. That will be incredibly valuable when we sit around the table together next season.”
CEO Jean-François Bourlart is naturally delighted that De Buyst will remain with the team after hanging up his bike. “Jasper has dedicated his entire professional career to this team. That says a lot about his loyalty, but also about the strong bond that has developed over the years– not only with the other riders, but also with the staff, management and sponsors of the team. We are therefore extremely happy that his story with Lotto-Intermarché will not end when he rides his final race. Helping young riders develop and guiding them through their careers is at the heart of Lotto-Intermarché, but at the same time, we also want to give our riders opportunities to continue developing within our organisation after their racing careers. Jasper knows our team, its culture and the peloton inside out. We are convinced that his experience and personality will allow him to make an important contribution to our performance team.”
After 12 seasons with Lotto, Jasper De Buyst is thus saying goodbye to life as a professional rider. “It is difficult to choose the best moment from all those years,” he reflects. “I have raced the Tour, the Giro, the Vuelta and the Monuments with the team. We have achieved podium finishes and some incredible victories. Together with the team, I have also been through some extremely painful and sad moments. And I have made so many friendships along the way. Now, above all, I am very curious to see how the second part of my life will unfold. I am looking forward to no longer being under that constant pressure of elite sport myself, and to not having to think about every single thing in my daily life. But most of all, I am looking forward to making our riders better and getting the maximum out of every single one of them.”
The Lotto Six Days of Ghent will be Jasper De Buyst's final race.
Picture: PhotoNews
