“El Tractor” Tim Declercq (Deceuninck-QuickStep) on training in lockdown, preparing to become a parent and honing his Age of Empires ll skills.
![]() |
Team News: A week in the life of Tim Declercq
Life in lockdown was for sure hard in the beginning, because it all happened all of the sudden, just as my condition was really good and I was confident in having a strong spring. It was a blow to have your goals taken away immediately, just like that, but on the other hand, it was the right thing to do giving what a major health crisis it was, unseen for a century.
Photo: ©Wout Beel
Despite this, it didn’t take me too much to find again my joy for cycling, while taking care of some other stuff as well, like painting the inside of my house or completing a paper for a course in my education program. I was also able to build the whole baby room for our first child and spend a lot of quality time with my wife Tracey, and that was very nice. Knowing we will be parents it’s exciting and something to which we look forward.
Like all my fellow countrymen, I was really happy that we could still train outside and ride in two most of the time, which made the entire thing more bearable. Seeing the likes of Yves, Bert and Stijn on a daily basis was an important morale-boost. My longest ride during these months was of “only” 200 kilometers, which I think is quite a lot, but compared to what some other guys did was nothing. When at home, I also played with our dog, Brangie, a Swiss white shepherd, who we have since the Monday after the 2018 Gent-Wevelgem (not the best memory, I must admit). She is great and very shy – when she’s not in the garden, that is – very affectionate to use, and after a period in the beginning where she put her teeth into everything, now we have no problem with her anymore.
It goes without saying that I continued to play Age of Empires ll. We were already playing it before the lockdown, but as it turned out, this proved to be an excellent moment to improve our game (at least mine). Most of the time, we play together with my brother against other players online, because otherwise it would be too rough for the guy who loses. I’m more an Aztecs player on land maps, whereas Yves tends to go for the Vietnamese or Spanish. Sadly, the overall level of the game has improved as well, so you really have to fight for victory, but on the other hand, we decided to put it on hold so we can focus 100% on the restart of the season and next week’s training camp, where I can’t wait to see the guys again.
Cycle Division’s Shop
Send your results as well as club, team & event news here
Other Results on VeloUK (including reports containing results)
- RR Result: Beaumont Trophy/Curlew Cup
- Features, Reports, Results
- Series Table: Isle of Man Youth League 2023
- BMCR Result: Victoria CC Criterium
- 93rd VeloViewer Monsal Hill Climb Event Preview
- CX Result: London and South East CX League 3
- RR Result: JGCC Road Race
- CX Result: Central Cyclocross League 2
- HC Result: Cheltenham & County CC Hill Climb
- HC Result: Westerham CC Hill Climb
- HC Result: Ayr Roads CC Hill Climb
- HC Result: Kingston Wheelers Hill Climb
- HC Result: Mid Devon CC Haytor Hill Climb
- HC Result: Mid Devon CC Widecombe Hill Climb
- TT Result: East Anglian VTTA 25m TT
- TT Result: VC Sevale 10m TT
- HC Result: Team Lifting Gear Products (Pea Royd Lane)
- HC Result: Team Lifting Gear Products Hill Climb
- TT Result: Paceline RT 25m TT
- HC Result: Watford Velo Sport Hill Climb
- HC Result: Cleveland Whs Hill Climb
- HC Result: Withington Wheelers Hill Climb
- CX Result: Shimano Lazer WMCCL Rd 4
- BMCR Result: Moda RT E/F/G/H/W Stallard Finale
- Dedication to the late Steve Knight
- TT Result: SVTTA (Speed Trophy) 15m TT
- RR Result: 360cycling Junior National Series Finale
- TT Result: Bramley Wheelers 25m TT
- TT Result: New Forest CC Autumn 10
- TT Result: Berkhamsted CC Sporting 10m TT
- TT Result: Saint Piran 19m TT
- HC Result: Exeter Wheelers Hill Climb
- HC Result: Wigmore CC Hill Climb
- Track Result: 2023 Derny Championship
- Crit Result: West Thames Autumn Crits 2
- CX Result: Eastern Cyclo-Cross League Rd 2
- CX Result: CXNE Series Round 2
- CX Result: Western Cyclocross League Rd 1
- CX Result: 3 Peaks 2023
- CX Result: Lincolnshire CX League Rd 1
- CX Result: Wessex CX League Rd3 (Foxhill)
- HC Result: Allen Valley Velo Hill Climb
Other News on VeloUK
- 93rd VeloViewer Monsal Hill Climb Event Preview
- Dedication to the late Steve Knight
- Saint Piran’s Remarkable Journey
- GB Riders for European Road Championships
- News: Ribble Launches Stone into Gravel
- Report: Wightlink-Wight Mountain CRT 2023
- News: East Cleveland Classic Rescheduled
- ENTRIES NEEDED: Severn Valley GP
- EVENTS: Criterium des Vainqueurs
- RR Result: Scottish National Road Race Championship
- Startlist: BMCR National Road Race Championships(C/D)
- PREVIEW – AA Brown Road Race
- Startlist: Beaumont Trophy/Curlew Cup
- Team News: Wightlink-Wight Mountain CRT
- News: Ribble adds 105 12 speed to Bikes
- Startlist: RTTC National 10 Mile Championships
- News: Jenny Holl races Rás na mBan with Alba DRT
- WORLD TRACK MASTERS – LESS THAN A WEEK TO ENTER!
- Tour of Britain: Provisional Start List
- News: Shimano Lazer West Midlands Cyclocross League (WMCCL)
- JUNIOR TOUR OF WALES (Podiums)
- This Sunday: Time Trial’s Blue Ribbon Event – 25 mile Championship
- News: new Womens Cycling Team
- News: Reviving Elite Cycle Racing Taskforce
- News: Charlie Tanfield Extends with Saint Piran
- News: West Midlands Road Race League
- Report: World Championships (August 13, Sunday)
- News: Pedal Club Lunch (August ‘23)
- Report: World Championships (Aug 12, Saturday)
- Report: World Championships (August 11)
- Report: World Championships (August 10)
- Events: Ryedale Grasscrete GP (Men/Women)
- Feature: Handsling Bikes
- News: Tao Geoghegan Hart Signs for Lidl-Trek
- World Championships (Wed, Aug 9)
- Report: World Championships (Aug 8, 2023)
- 2023 World Championships: (Monday)
- Report: World Championships (Sunday)
- Report: Golden Day for GB in Glasgow
- World Championships Report: Scottish Cycling (Aug 4)