They were just two kids from Wortegem, riding bikes after school, never dreaming they’d one day end up in the pro peloton together.

In this episode of the Castelli Podcast, we sit down with Belgian sprint sensation Tim Merlier and his lifelong friend and trusted lead-out man Bert Van Lerberghe, a duo bonded by years of shared rides, muddy cyclocross circuits, and quiet ambition.

From their humble beginnings to the world’s biggest races, Tim and Bert take us inside their journey—through the chaos of sprint stages, the grit of gravel racing, and the deep trust that powers their performance in the pro peloton. They open up about what it means to represent Belgium, the Castelli gear that gets them through the toughest days, and the unspoken connection that only two decades of friendship can build.

This is more than a story about speed. It’s a story about growing up together, daring to dream late, and discovering that the best victories are the ones you chase side by side.

Chapters

00:00 Intro

02:38 Tim Merlier’s Journey

06:26 Bert Van Lerberghe’s Journey

09:02 Amateur Belgian Cycling

13:20 Gravel Racing

16:40 Bert’s Strengths and Weaknesses

19:22 Tim’s Strengths and Weaknesses

20:37 Rapid Fire Round of Questions

20:45 First Castelli Memory

21:49 Favorite Castelli Winter Product

23:39 Dream Races to Win One Day

27:32 Rapid Fire

36:10 The Wolfpack Team Dynamics

36:43 Ending

– LINKS –

⁠⁠Tim Merlier⁠⁠

⁠⁠Bert Van Lerberghe⁠⁠

Host: ⁠⁠⁠⁠Soren Jensen⁠⁠⁠⁠

SEND US YOUR QUESTIONS

If you want your questions to be answered on air, be sure to submit your questions by sending us a message on social media or by email to⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.