Team managers and OCM experts agree that starting captains are crucial in the first season to establish the team until a true captain is ready. Well, Mateo was the exception of this rule. Nephew of an important businessman in Antwerp, he spent the best years of his youth trying to figure out on what to do. Until he could see on TV a fellow Belgian crowned as World Champion, then Mateo knew he wanted to be part of that world.
Of course, with 30 years at that moment, finding a team was a chimera. However, the return to business of manager Williamson with a new team based in Flanders area and some rough quick training to become a decent sprinter kick off his adventure time in OCM. Just two months later after his 32nd birthday and 6 days from the day Amstel Flanders was founded; Gyselincx witnessed in shock how an unknown talent from Iran was hired by the team to be the new captain.
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Read moreTeam managers and OCM experts agree that starting captains are crucial in the first season to establish the team until a true captain is ready. Well, Mateo was the exception of this rule. Nephew of an important businessman in Antwerp, he spent the best years of his youth trying to figure out on what to do. Until he could see on TV a fellow Belgian crowned as World Champion, then Mateo knew he wanted to be part of that world.
Of course, with 30 years at that moment, finding a team was a chimera. However, the return to business of manager Williamson with a new team based in Flanders area and some rough quick training to become a decent sprinter kick off his adventure time in OCM. Just two months later after his 32nd birthday and 6 days from the day Amstel Flanders was founded; Gyselincx witnessed in shock how an unknown talent from Iran was hired by the team to be the new captain.
Mateo couldn’t score lots of results in the first races of the team, worried for this suspicious rider that quickly was turning into a faster and more technical cyclist than he was. By the first half of S56, Gyselincx was a mere Lead-Out and his chances to race as captain were minimal in that season and the upcoming. However, he never complained and shared his limited experience with the new star of the team.
Finally, 4 seasons after his debut and 34 years old; the Belgian was able to lead the team in some races while the other captains were resting. It resulted in the best season of his career and even close to retirement, Mateo kept a good level to extend his race shape a little longer.
Mateo Gyselincx, the captain that never led; finally raced one last time during the Cup of the Four Rivers, helping team captains Azargoshasp and Bitao for the GC and he revealed his intentions to be part of his uncle’s business before get back to cycling again.
Belgium