Jan Bakelants has shown his aggressiveness last year in the Giro d’Italia as well as in the Vuelta a España where he obtained top ten places in stages. One year earlier he missed a Vuelta stage win after smashing into a padded sign on a traffic island while he was in the attack with barely one kilometer to go. After the 2011 Giro, Bakelants was celebrated as overall winner of the Sprints Classification.

Jan, who holds a bachelor degree in Bioscience Engineering, came to cycling after his father registered him at the Vlaamse Wielerschool (Flemish Cycling School). It proved to be a good initiative as Bakelants immediately showed his good all-around skills. After he was voted Best Young Rider of the Year in 2008 – with victories in the Tour de l’Avenir, U23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège, Tour de Liège, Circuit des Ardennes, Flèche Ardennaise and Triptique Ardennais – he was able to sign his first pro contract.

Jan is in love with the Great Ocean since he made her acquaintance during the Melbourne World Championships, but he hates to queue at shops before paying.