Sint-Niklaas (Brussels Morning Newspaper) – Police officer Bryan Cap from Sint-Niklaas wins Belgian police cycling championship, dedicating victory to his late friend and colleague Lennert.
Bryan spent months training with Lennert Thibaut, a friend and coworker who died earlier this year.
“We managed to get a podium place for Lennert: a friend, ally and colleague with a heart of gold”,
Bryan says.
Earlier this year, Lennert Thibaut, a police officer at the Sint-Niklaas, Belgium, police zone, was killed while riding his bike for training.
He had spent months training for the Belgian championship cycling for police services with Bryan Cap, a colleague from the Sint-Niklaas police zone, and several other inspectors.
The force, friends, and family were all quite disappointed.
“Lennert was a highly valued and educated colleague. This has deeply affected us”,
said police chief Jo De Geest at the time.
Still, they did not give up, a few colleagues, including Bryan, took part in the Belgian championship.
“Last year Lennert ended up in 2nd place. Immediately afterwards he said: ‘Next year I’m going for the win’. And we would all help him with that, because he really deserved it”,
says Bryan.
“We turned that motivation into a fight for the title. As a tribute to him to show what a wonderful person he was,”
says Bryan.
At the Zolder circuit, Bryan was able to win the Belgian championship title. Colleague Bram Maes finished in 3rd place.
“It was like he was there the whole ride, especially when I crossed the finish line. That’s when all the emotions came out,”
says Bryan.
“We managed to get a podium for Lennert: a friend, ally and colleague with a heart of gold.”
How did Bryan honor Lennert’s memory during training and races?
Bryan Cap dedicated his training and victories to his late friend and colleague, Lennert Thibaut, in remembrance of his memories.
Bryan’s accomplishments were extremely important and personal because they shared the journey toward competitive cycling during their months-long training together.
Bryan carried Lennert’s spirit with him after his death earlier this year, hoping to earn a spot on the podium as a memorial. Bryan made it clear that Lennert—a friend, ally, and coworker “with a heart of gold”—was the reason behind their podium finish, emphasizing how his memory inspired and encouraged Bryan during the competition.
By transforming Bryan’s cycling achievements into a sincere tribute, this commitment preserved Lennert’s legacy within the police cycling community.
