After one of our most intensive seasons, it’s time to come home to Mechelen. Nicola, Olivier, Thibault and Anthony traditionally show up on the startlists of Jumping Mechelen. Twins Nicola and Olivier ride the World Cup on Sunday, Thibault takes his first jumps on five star level and Anthony looks forward to his exciting rounds as well.
2018 met all of our expectations so far. Olivier rode the World Cup Final in Paris and was, together with Nicola, part of the London Knights, who dominated the Longines Global Champions League. Nicola, on the other hand, won two Longines Global Champions Tour competitions as well as two Nation Cups. Youngsters Thibault and Anthony made a lot of progress and won several important competitions as well.
Even though Meeuwen-Gruitrode (that changes in Oudsbergen in 2019 by the way) is our hometown, Mechelen is like our second home. Father Ludo won Jumping Mechelen twice. His children would like to know too what it’s like to win a World Cup in their own country one day.
“It seems amazing to win the World Cup in Mechelen one day. I've put it on my bucketlist already.”, says Nicola. “If the victory will be for this year? We can’t say that yet. It’s been a long, beautiful, intense and very heavy year for me and H&M Chilli Willi. But for one last time, we charge our batteries with pleasure. Afterwards, we take a little time to relax.”.
After 9 legs of the World Cup, Olivier covers a position in the top 10. “I need 7 more points to be sure of a ticket to the final. That is therefore my first goal in Mechelen: to get qualified for the World Cup final in April in Gothenburg. Furthermore, I’ld like to finish as high as possible in Mechelen of course. A very welcome result so that I can look back to 2018 with a good feeling.”.
