Biography
Maarten Neyens started as beginner with cycling in 2000 for the Hoboken WAC team. Previously he was allready active in events in the Netherlands. Story’s about his father Jaak, who claimed the silver medal at the Belgian beginners championship of 1973 although he wasn’t aware that Hughes Cosaert was in front, were told to him from in the very beginning. In 2000 Maarten was able to claim the first Belgian title ever for first year beginners after a nice piece of solo work.
Youth
Afterworths Maarten was active at the Affligem-Bianchi team of Willy Teirlinck, the Sweet-Paradise team of Andy Missotten and in 2004 in his first year at the U23 category the Jartazi-Granville team. Teamleaders there were Jurgen Guns and Danny Schets. Until 2003 Maarten was student Economics-Modern Languages at Sint-Jan Bergmanscollege Westmalle. Starting from 2005 Maarten rode for the Jong Vlaanderen team and started to get used to the U23 category. He ended 4th in Hasselt-Spa-Hasselt, 3th at the Championship of the Antwerp province and he managed to win the Tour of Antwerp. In the National Championship he was one of the attractive figures in the race. It resulted in an 8th place. Also his 9th place at the GP Jef Scherens for Elite was a sign of talent.
Progression in 2006 and 2007
2006 started with stages and tours with quite a bit climbing on South-African en Spanish soil. In Brussel-Opwijk that resulted into a 4th place. In the final classification of the Triptique des Monts et Châteaux Maarten ended 5th after close results in every stage. The competition, who came from the strong Rabobank line-up with Lars Boom, Huub Duyn and Dimitriy Kozontchuk possesed the whole podium. Later on victories followed in a stage in the tour of Vlaams-Brabant and a stage in the Tour of Namen up on it’s famous citadel.
Maarten isn’t known from winning a lot, and most of all his victories were in the summer, but in 2007 he was allready in shape at the beginning of April. In the Triptique des Monts et Châteaux - a three day Tour - he was able to win the final stage. Together with teammate Jürgen Roelandts he made part of a six men leading group, who also had some Rabobank riders in it. The field was chasing the group till the end of the stage but finally they managed to hold on to a small advantage. Maarten won the sprint after a magnificent performance. In the final classification he came 10th. In the summer Maarten rented a bungalow in the Portugese Faro. To be able to ride in the magnificent Portugal with their nice roads and hills to build further on his form. Despite all of this, he had to cancel his participation in the European Championship due to illness.
Maarten rode a strong 2007 season. He made a lot of progression and was doing well in all major races. At the end of the season he absolutelly wanted to earn a contract, he was able to sign after lots of hard work. After three years at the Jong Vlaanderen team he was ready to become a professional cyclist.
Excellent debut as a professional
In his debut year as a professional, Maarten rode in a very attacking way. In the second stage of the Volta ao Algarve he was on board of a 3 man leading group. He won the second intermediate sprint of the stage. And then in one of the well known Belgian races, the E3 Prijs Harelbeke, he was in the 14 men strong breakaway with his teammate Kristof Vandewalle. His race ended somewhere after the hill section in a bar after he was picked up by the broom wagon and asked the driver to stop for a short break. The driver was inpatient and after being on television behind Tom Boonen and Fabian Cancellara, Maarten had to go back to the finish with a kind cyclingfan/driver.
In June Maarten came 8th in the final classification of the Delta Tour Zeeland and in Oetingen (IWT Jong Maar Moedig) he came 2nd after Neirynck.
