A day after Huub Artz’s historic victory, a second talent from Intermarché-Wanty has become European champion, with Felix Ørn-Kristoff claiming the title in the Juniors category on Saturday, September 14.
The 18-year-old Norwegian rider, who will join Wanty-ReUz-Technord in 2025 and then Intermarché-Wanty in 2026, is supported by the Belgian structure for this season in the Juniors, where he has achieved prestigious victories at the Eroica Juniores, Saarland Trofeo, and a national time trial title.
After winning bronze in the mixed relay on Thursday and finishing ninth in the time trial on Wednesday, Felix Ørn-Kristoff triumphed in a three-man sprint on the 129-kilometer course between Heusden-Zolder and Hasselt, which featured the climbs of Kolmontberg and Zammelenberg.
This victory brings a second star-studded jersey to the Intermarché-Wanty structure in two days, following Huub Artz’s win in the U23 event. On Sunday, five riders from the World Team will compete in the Elite Men’s race: Madis Mihkels, Hugo Page, Adrien Petit, Laurenz Rex, and Mike Teunissen.
Felix Ørn-Kristoff: “I managed to join the leaders with Hector Alvarez and Paul Seixas, two very strong riders who made me suffer a lot in the final climbs. But luckily, fatigue got the better of them too, so I was able to stay with them. It was a very demanding and tough final stretch. The race played out exactly as I had hoped, because a mass sprint wouldn’t have suited me as well. The plan was to try to break away with a small group, and when the three of us got a gap, I knew we had a real chance to make it to the finish. It was tense because the gap was never big, but we made it. This European champion title means a lot to me. I’ve had some tough moments this season, but this victory makes it all worth it.”
Kévin Van Melsen (Sports Director): “It’s a source of pride for our structure to celebrate this second title at the European Championships. Felix was really impressive today, not just with his legs but especially with the maturity he showed. He stayed very calm in the final, not panicking about the chasing group behind him. What he showed is promising for the future; he has great potential. Now our structure will support him to help him become even stronger. We’ve seen his great talent, and we’ll help him develop with Wanty-ReUz-Technord, and later with our WorldTeam in the future.”
