Tom Meeusen (Telenet-Fidea) won his first World Cup race in Kalmthout on Sunday, just a few months into his first season as a senior elite rider. The 22-year-old was the outstanding rider in the under-23 “beloften” category last season; he won the overall classification in the Gazet van Antwerpen (GvA) Trofee, Superprestige and World Cup competitions, and took a retrospective silver at the World Championships. His team manager Hans Van Kasteren sees his young rider as destined for great things.
“I'm very proud,” said the Dutchman on the team's website. “Tom is already living up to what we thought he would achieve in a few years.”
“And without any pressure,” he added. “Everyone can do his thing with us if he is conscientious. Tom has allowed me to relax for the rest of the season; the year has already been a success.”
Meeusen has been with the Telenet-Fidea team since the winter of 2006/07, when he was just 18 years old, so Van Kasteren has had plenty of time to work with the rider; Dutchman sees a lot the qualities of one of the senior members of his team in the young rider.
"I see a lot of Bart Wellens in Meeusen,” he said. “Tom has the same guts, passion and innate class. Tom has the same desire to always give 100 percent."
Van Kasteren is conscious that Tom Meeusen is still just 22-years-old, and has yet to reach his full potential. He is also sensitive to the fact that his World Cup win, as well as his victories in the Nacht van Woerden and the Gieten Superprestige this season, the young rider may be exposed to too much fame and pressure too soon.
“Tom will be allowed to continue to grow quietly,” he said. "In that context it would be nice if we Stybar with us for another year, so that Tom is still overshadowed in races. We will specially support Tom growth. I'm going to invite him to stay with me in Spain [where Van Kasteren lives – ed] at the end of the season.
"I want to talk about than what is involved in a top career,” Van Kasteren continued, “the distribution of his strength, his finances and contacts with the press. These are all things that will help him to evolve."