Former Belgian footballer Jelle Van Damme switches to professional cycling at 41

Jelle Van Damme, the former Anderlecht, Ajax, and Belgium national team player, has decided to swap his football boots for a bicycle and embark on a professional cycling career at the age of 41, reports The Sun.

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Since retiring from football in 2020, Van Damme has taken up cycling as a hobby and trained at an amateur level. Riding alongside Belgian star Greg Van Avermaet, he gradually developed a passion for the sport and decided to pursue it professionally.

Van Damme plans to compete in various events, including the Unbound Gravel World Cup in the United States later this year.

"I began cycling with my brothers and nephews, doing 40-50km rides, but now I can do 120km distances. I think I can ride well, and when I'm in a peloton I am not afraid to throw myself around," said Van Damme.

The Belgian admitted that if he could live his life over, he would choose cycling over football. He revealed that he already has sponsors and has hired a personal coach to prepare for upcoming competitions seriously.