Is Lentel Huys set to succeed Sanne Cant?
This latest mission, however, will be a fair bit easier than finding an equal to the greatest cyclist of all time in this little country. That is partly why we have dared to use this headline, and we dare to suggest that Sanne Cant’s successor might well come from the Kempen too. Her name? Lentel Huys!
Pure cyclo-cross blood runs through her veins
Lentel Huys is the daughter of Stijn Huys – see the previous article in this issue of Cyclelive – and Lieselot Sels, the sister of Loes Sels. Mum Lieselot and Aunt Loes are also Sanne Cant’s cousins. Grandfather Rudy Sels, moreover, was crowned Belgian champion in the Masters C category in 2008 in Hofstade. A Belgian championship that felt like a family affair at the time, because alongside the title Rudy Sels won in the Masters category, Loes Sels became Belgian champion in the women’s elite category and Sanne Cant – then just 17 years old – also became Belgian champion in the girls’ youth category. So, pure and unadulterated cyclo-cross blood is pumping powerfully through her veins, and that’s yet another reason for us to reinforce the title of this article. At the Huys household, they’ll no doubt keep Lentel firmly grounded whilst, at the same time, surrounding her with all the guidance, knowledge and passion she needs so that she can fully develop into a top-class rider.
We therefore put a few questions to Lentel and her dad, Stijn, so that we can get to know this pure talent, who is still developing, a little better.
Lentel, how many victories have you achieved in the novices’ category, and in how many races?
I won 20 out of 20 races in 2025–2026 and 22 out of 22 races in 2024–2025.
Stijn, is Lentel already taking physical training seriously, or is it still more of a bit of fun?
It’s more of a light-hearted approach at the moment; we’re trying to establish a good structure, mainly with a view to the future. The standard is already very high with as little training as possible. With Team Kempen, this is working very well in terms of structure and training.
Lentel, who’s your coach?
That’s Dad, of course…
Stijn, what do those training sessions look like? Do you do any special individual training?
There aren’t really any individual training sessions. Lentel trains with the club every week. On the road, that’s with the club’s coaches; for cyclo-cross, I lead the sessions myself. I run the sessions for several riders together. The focus is certainly not on Lentel during the cyclo-cross sessions but is shared across all the club’s riders – definitely no preferential treatment.
Lentel, have you had any international competition yet? Have you raced against your Dutch peers yet, and how did that go?
Yes, I’ve raced in the Netherlands twice, including the Kleeberg cyclo-cross and Heerde. Last season, I raced against a few foreign girls in Valkenswaard, Mol and Meer, and won every time.
Stijn, shouldn’t Lentel have competed in the Junior World Championships already? Surely that would have been possible if the national coach had selected her?
No, that wasn’t necessary. She’ll be a junior next year anyway and will be able to compete in the World Championships then if she’s selected. There are still plenty of years left to compete in the World Championships.
Is Lentel mainly technically or physically strong?
She’s particularly strong technically, and that’s an advantage. The physical side will follow later.
Lentel, what are you studying? And can you balance that well with cyclo-cross?
I’m studying sports science in Westmalle, and that’s very easy to balance with cycling.
How do you see your own development over the coming years and the balance between your studies and sport?
I’d love to be able to compete in World Cup races and achieve good results in the major events. I see my studies as very important, and balancing my studies with cycling will be a key focus over the next few years.
Who is your idol?
My idol used to be Sanne Cant, but she’s retired now, so I look up to Lucinda Brand.
Stijn, tell us a bit more about Lentel…
Lentel is a shy girl who prefers to speak with her pedals rather than with words. What I found particularly special this season was that – apart from two races – she managed to beat all the other women and sometimes even built up a substantial lead. She made it her goal to ride to the front as quickly as possible, even though the U17s start fifteen to thirty seconds later. It was a little plan or goal she’d come up with herself, but it was lovely. In some races, she’d already done this after just one lap. That’s what she did in Gierle and in Meer – after just one lap, she was already leading the whole pack.
So you’re already expecting, just a little bit, that she’ll really make it to the top?
We’ll see next year whether she’s really that good when she comes up against the international field. But for now, we – just like her – are taking it all in our stride and keeping things light-hearted without setting our expectations too high. As a coach, I’m trying to hold off on proper training programmes for as long as possible because things are going so smoothly at the moment. I hope – and I do think – that once we start with proper training programmes, there’s still plenty of room for improvement. But whether that will be enough to reach the very top is something nobody can predict.
So just enjoy every moment and every victory with the whole family. We at Cyclelive Magazine wish Lentel a wonderful career and the family countless unforgettable sporting moments!
Text: Patrick Van Gansen
Photos: Julien De Bock
