Tom Crabbe (20) crowns himself season revelation with two victories: “We already felt at the training camp that things were going well”
It’s a festive period at Team Flanders-Baloise. The barely 20-year-old Tom Crabbe won a stage in both the Etoile de Bessèges and the Ruta Del Sol in February. “Thanks to a winter in which we made a very clear plan and trained every day with a purpose,” he reveals. “This victory naturally creates a fantastic atmosphere within the team.”
The sprinter from Merchtem already achieved strong results as a youth rider, with podium places at the provincial and Flemish championships, but his progress was temporarily slowed by the coronavirus. Only in 2023 did he resurface with an excellent campaign among the juniors. That year he proved not only to be fast, but also capable of surviving tough races.
Meanwhile, Crabbe also developed as a track cyclist thanks to a place at the Topsportschool. Although he discovered the track at a later age, he has a natural talent for the discipline. Last autumn he even made his debut at the Ghent Six Days. Still, for the 2024 European U23 elimination champion, it remains more of an enjoyable side activity.
The sprinter from Merchtem already achieved strong results as a youth rider, with podium places at the provincial and Flemish championships, but his progress was temporarily slowed by the coronavirus. Only in 2023 did he resurface with an excellent campaign among the juniors. That year he proved not only to be fast, but also capable of surviving tough races.
Meanwhile, Crabbe also developed as a track cyclist thanks to a place at the Topsportschool. Although he discovered the track at a later age, he has a natural talent for the discipline. Last autumn he even made his debut at the Ghent Six Days. Still, for the 2024 European U23 elimination champion, it remains more of an enjoyable side activity.
Growth trajectory
In 2024, Crabbe completed his first U23 season with Bingoal WB Devo Team. He enjoyed a particularly strong year, including two stage wins in the Tour of Flemish Brabant and a bronze medal at the Belgian U23 Championships. That caught the attention of Team Flanders-Baloise. He reached an agreement with the team and continued to grow in 2025. As the season progressed, the sprinter secured strong results in the Heistse Pijl (9th), a stage in the Tour of Denmark (6th), and the GP de Fourmies (9th). He nearly claimed his first professional victory in the Tour of Britain, but Olav Kooij proved just too fast.
“That performance gave me a real boost,” he says. “Olav didn’t beat me by just a tire’s width, but I did finish ahead of some big names. That showed me that something special might be possible this year.”
Postponed was not cancelled. Together with the entire team, Crabbe enjoyed an almost flawless winter. “My coach involved me in drawing up the training plan and gave me more insight into the philosophy behind each session. That clearly paid off, because I won on the very first day of the season. I didn’t expect that right away, but it was an enormous boost. Everything that followed is, so to speak, a bonus.”
Crabbe won an uphill sprint in the Etoile de Bessèges, immediately opening the team’s account. Anyone who thought it was luck had to reconsider in Andalusia. After a short illness, he found his fast legs again in stage 3. He rode the fastest sprint in the peloton but started from too far back and finished 5th. A day later, his team did tremendous work and Crabbe finished it off. “I had actually gone to the Ruta purely as preparation, but after that 5th place I was a bit frustrated because there was more in it. Fortunately, everything was made right the next day.”
“That performance gave me a real boost,” he says. “Olav didn’t beat me by just a tire’s width, but I did finish ahead of some big names. That showed me that something special might be possible this year.”
Postponed was not cancelled. Together with the entire team, Crabbe enjoyed an almost flawless winter. “My coach involved me in drawing up the training plan and gave me more insight into the philosophy behind each session. That clearly paid off, because I won on the very first day of the season. I didn’t expect that right away, but it was an enormous boost. Everything that followed is, so to speak, a bonus.”
Crabbe won an uphill sprint in the Etoile de Bessèges, immediately opening the team’s account. Anyone who thought it was luck had to reconsider in Andalusia. After a short illness, he found his fast legs again in stage 3. He rode the fastest sprint in the peloton but started from too far back and finished 5th. A day later, his team did tremendous work and Crabbe finished it off. “I had actually gone to the Ruta purely as preparation, but after that 5th place I was a bit frustrated because there was more in it. Fortunately, everything was made right the next day.”
Proud partner
Eddy Merckx Bikes has been the bicycle supplier of Team Flanders-Baloise since its foundation. We are proud to help the team give young talent the opportunity to further develop. Many Belgian riders began their careers at Team Flanders-Baloise, gaining the necessary experience for a remarkable professional career, including Jan Bakelants, Thomas De Gendt, Sep Vanmarcke, Stijn Devolder and Victor Campenaerts.
Tom Crabbe already feels a strong vibe within this season’s squad. “The atmosphere is very good and we already felt during the training camp that there was potential. If we work together as a team, we can achieve great performances. We know that riding Eddy Merckx bikes means riding a piece of heritage. With exclusively Flemish sponsors, this is a unique story. Showing already that we can win with this setup gives us great satisfaction.”
For a bicycle brand, such feedback from professional riders is also extremely valuable in the development of new bikes. And speaking of that: something very special is coming soon…
Photos: Photo News
Tom Crabbe already feels a strong vibe within this season’s squad. “The atmosphere is very good and we already felt during the training camp that there was potential. If we work together as a team, we can achieve great performances. We know that riding Eddy Merckx bikes means riding a piece of heritage. With exclusively Flemish sponsors, this is a unique story. Showing already that we can win with this setup gives us great satisfaction.”
For a bicycle brand, such feedback from professional riders is also extremely valuable in the development of new bikes. And speaking of that: something very special is coming soon…
Photos: Photo News
