'Cycling isn't just about data' – Tosh van der Sande announces planned retirement amidst looming employment crisis for nearly 20 other Belgian pros

Veteran Belgian domestique Tosh Van der Sande, 34, announced he is making a planned retirement from the sport on Thursday, even as local media made a dire warning the same day that nearly 20 riders from the same country may not be so lucky in a radically squeezed job market in 2026.

Having turned pro with Lotto-Belisol back in 2012, Van der Sande rode the last two seasons of his 14-year-career with Visma-Lease a Bike. He had just two wins to his name during his time as a racer, a stage of the Tour de l'Ain and another in the Tour de Wallonie, but crafted a reputation as a well-established team worker.

"The past few years haven't been easy physically and mentally, but I've done everything I can to rediscover the joy and passion that made me fall in love with this sport in the first place. And I succeeded," Van der Sande wrote on Instagram.

However, he also warned aspiring younger riders not to become overly fixated on cycling, saying "to the next generation of cyclists: live for your sport, but don't forget to live outside of it as well.

"Don't get lost in the numbers, the wattage, or the bike computer. Cycling isn't just about data; it's also about instinct, courage, and the love of cycling."

Van der Sande's insights come just as an exceptionally high number of his country's fellow-pros may well have no choice to look beyond the bike, with Het Laatste Nieuws warning on Thursday that a looming employment crisis means nearly 20 racers from his country may have to seek alternative work next year.

HLN points out that in Belgium, ProTeam Wagner Bazin WB is set to fold, subject to a final confirmation, with its first-year pros already released from their contracts. It's a similar story in France for WorldTour squad Arkéa-B&B Hotels, whose demise was widely expected, but the squad's confirmation they have not applied for a licence for 2026 means an additional squeeze of the job market.

Then there's the ongoing fusion between Intermarché-Wanty and Lotto, still subject to a final confirmation on October 18, which will also create another drop in the numbers of available positions on teams, with 16 riders from the two squads currently jobless. These include Kobe Goossens, who took a couple of wins at the Mallorca Challenge for Intermarché back in their very successful start of the season in 2023, and Dries De Pooter, one of Intermarché's most recent winners earlier this week in a stage of the Tour of Kyushu, where he ended in second overall .

At the same time there is an ongoing search for a second title sponsor at Alpecin, after Deceuninck confirmed this spring they would be ending their four-year backing with the team at the end of 2025. Nor is the Belgian future for teams looking particularly bright, with main sponsor Flanders reportedly set to quit Pro Team Flanders-Baloise set-up at the end of 2026.