Once a promising junior in cyclocross and European champion in 2006, Belgium's Vincent Baestaens has struggled for more than a decade as the sport's second best.

And now, at age 32, Baestaens is enjoying his best season yet and will make his debut in the elite men's race at the UCI Cyclocross World Championships in Fayetteville, Arkansas. When he was selected to represent Belgium at the World Championships, Vestaens was giddy with joy.

"When I was on the bike, I started laughing spontaneously," he told Sporza (opens in new tab). 'I get to go to the cyclocross world championships. It's impossible."

At the beginning of the season, his selection seemed unlikely, but Vestaens deserved it. He traveled to the U.S. and won both the Rochester Cyclocross and Charm City Cross in four straight days, followed by a first-day win at the Jingle Cross, where he contended as the early leader of the USCX Cyclocross Series.

He was a member of the Deschacht-Group Hens-Maes Containers team with numerous top-10 finishes, including ninth at the World Cup in Hulst, Namur, and Rucphen, seventh in Koksijde and Waterloo, and eighth in Tabor, Belgium team.

This is a clear improvement from languishing outside the top 15 in his home country and having to go on to win smaller races in the US, Italy, Switzerland, Spain, and the Czech Republic.

"I never thought I would be at the start of the World Championships. But thanks to the change in mentality, my wildest dreams have come true."

"Before the season, my new coach asked me if I still had wildest dreams. 'To be in the World Championships,' I laughed. It seemed like an unrealistic goal to me. But my wildest dreams came true."

As a junior, Baestaens was touted as one of cyclocross' next great talents, but health problems held him back.

"I broke my back twice, my wrist once, and had surgeries on my femoral artery (twice) and my knee.

He admits, however, that he was overconfident in his ability to teach training.

"My mentality has changed in the last few years. I used to be less professional. For example, I didn't think I needed a trainer. I didn't believe in scientific instruction either. I mainly trained for hours and ran hard. I never ran below an average speed of 35 kilometers per hour."

Now, with trainer Michel Geerink, Vestans fully embraces the systematic training that has brought such solid results.

"At first I didn't trust his approach. About 10 times leading up to the season, Michel told me, 'You have to train more. Otherwise it won't work,' always with a bit of concern."

"But against my own expectations, I am having a great season. Thanks to Michelle, I am able to train with more focus. My scientific approach has paid off."

The trip to the US will be familiar to Vestans, who makes a habit of coming to the US early in the season to gain UCI points and better starting positions. He has an aunt who works as a physical therapist in Michigan, and his family also has homes in Illinois and Florida.

"I've been to the US 25 times in the last few years to ride cross; it's always been my mission to get UCI points."

And now he will compete in the World Championships for the first time since his U23 days.

"It's always special to defend your country's colors. Being in the United States makes it extra beautiful. I have a special bond with that country. Besides, my aunt lives in the United States. My cousins are also American citizens

"My aunt also has a residence in Naples, Florida, where I spend a lot of my vacations. So I've been to the U.S. a lot. I like the people, I like the racing atmosphere, and it's great to run here. If it was just me, I would love to race more races here, but there aren't that many teams interested in a Belgian rider," Bjestans told Cycling News after winning the Trek CX Cup in Waterloo, Wisconsin.

He was selected to represent Belgium in 2020, finishing 10th at the European Championships.

"It's been so many years now, I was like a little kid because I was so happy to wear Belgian clothes again. It has always been a dream for me."

Racing at the World Championships may be a bittersweet peak before an uncertain future, as his team announced on Wednesday that he will be out of action for the season.

"I've already talked to almost all the teams. That was a positive conversation, but we are prioritizing the young people. I understand that."