VAN RYSEL Named Official Bike Partner of the Belgian Waffle Ride Series

December 17, 2025

A multi-year partnership uniting world-class performance with North America’s most iconic gravel events

Del Mar, CA (December 17, 2025) /ENDURANCE SPORTSWIRE/ — The Belgian Waffle Ride (BWR), North America’s most distinctive and demanding gravel event series, is proud to announce a multi-year partnership with VAN RYSEL, a high-performance bicycle brand born in Northern France and shaped by the world’s most demanding racing environments. Beginning in 2026, VAN RYSEL will serve as the Official Bike Partner of the Belgian Waffle Ride Series, spanning flagship events across the United States, Canada, and Mexico, including the Quad-Tripel Crown of Gravel.

The partnership represents a powerful alignment between two organizations defined by performance, authenticity, and a deep respect for cycling culture. Born in Lille and raised in Roubaix, VAN RYSEL draws from a heritage where cycling is not simply a sport, but a way of life — a sensibility that aligns naturally with the unroad spirit that has made the Belgian Waffle Ride legendary.

“We’re thrilled to welcome VAN RYSEL into the BWR family,” said Michael Marckx, founder of the Belgian Waffle Ride and CEO of Monuments of Cycling. “VAN RYSEL represents the very best of modern performance cycling — obsessive attention to detail, a racing-first mindset, and a genuine connection to where the sport comes from. That ethos fits naturally with what BWR stands for.”

As Official Bike Partner, VAN RYSEL will be integrated across the full BWR ecosystem, including on-site event presence, demo villages, athlete and community activations, and year-round content storytelling. The partnership extends beyond race weekends, connecting VAN RYSEL with BWR’s global audience of passionate riders who value challenge, character, and camaraderie as much as competition.

“VAN RYSEL was born in Lille and raised in Roubaix — places where cycling is woven into everyday life. What excites me about the Belgian Waffle Ride is how naturally that European spirit translates here in North America right now. Riders are looking for real challenges and real experiences, not just hype. BWR has built that culture, and this partnership is about bringing European performance heritage into a North American riding scene that celebrates tough roads, big days, and the stories that come with them.”
— Beverly Jacobus, Director of Specialty Brands, VAN RYSEL/Decathlon Americas

With events spanning deserts, mountains, coastlines, and farmlands, the Belgian Waffle Ride has become a proving ground for riders who seek more than just speed. The partnership reinforces VAN RYSEL’s commitment to building bicycles worthy of the world’s toughest roads — and unroads — while remaining deeply connected to the communities that ride them.

Each BWR event offers three distinct challenges — the Wanna, Wafer, and Waffle — welcoming everyone from first-time gravel riders to elite competitors. Together, BWR and VAN RYSEL aim to support and inspire cyclists at every level, united by a shared belief that performance is earned, not claimed.

About the Belgian Waffle Ride Series
The Belgian Waffle Ride Series is a global leader in gravel cycling, renowned for its unique blend of endurance, irreverence, and community. With events across the U.S., Canada, and Mexico, BWR attracts elite athletes and adventurous amateurs alike. Each race combines pavement, gravel, sand, and singletrack into one unforgettable experience. Learn more at www.bwr.bike.

About VAN RYSEL

BORN IN FLANDERS LAND OF CYCLING :

VAN (“who comes from” in Flemish) RYSEL(“Lille”). A road racing cycling brand, was born a few kilometers from iconic cobbled Classics, of which the world’s most legendary 1-day race, Paris – Roubaix. Every day, we design and develop bikes in Lille, capital of the French Flanders.

The factory where our performance road bikes are assembled is located just a few meters from our engineers and product managers, and the iconic cobbled roads of Flanders.

OUR VISION :

In cycling, we’re all searching for the exhilarating effect of speed, whatever our goals or level.
We treat it as a personal challenge, in which everyone pushes their limits to improve their performance and experience new sensations.

Learn more a www.vanryselus.com.

For Inquiries, please contact Beverly.Jacobus.Partner@decathlon.com