Michiel started cycling seriously 10 years ago, when his father invited him to a cycling trip to the French Pyrenees. He accepted and, although his preparation only included three practice rides in his home country of Belgium, Michiel survived the trip and immediately fell in love with cycling in the mountains. Five years later Michiel moved to Switzerland to start a new job as a physiotherapist, riding his bike to get there. Three years ago, he put his work as a physio on hold to become a Switzerland-based cycling guide during warm weather months, and a Norway-based Northern Lights tour guide in Tromsø during cold winter months.

Chuck first met Michiel in October 2022 on a cycling tour that included riding vintage steel bikes in vintage wool kit at the L’Eroica event in Gaiole in Chianti, Italy. Michiel’s passion and energy as a cycling guide on that tour, combined with his good humor and skillful management of details, impressed Chuck to the level that he asked for Michiel’s support on cycling tours through the French alps in July 2023 and the Swiss alps in July 2024. Participants on those trips quickly developed friendships with Michiel, with admiration for his ability to engage riders of every ability throughout the day, his joyful presence, his exceptional photography skills, and his ability to refine routes in real time to maximize the beauty-to-effort-expended ratio.