How to master life on two wheels
From playground jumps to World Cup Podiums - Jeroen van Eck has built his life around two wheels, driven by passion, precision, and purpose. In this story, he shares how a love for riding turned into a lifelong rhythm: balancing family, performance, and the pure joy of movement. Discover how mindset, motivation, and the right gear shape a life fully in motion.
THE RHYTHM OF A LIFE ON TWO WHEELS
It all started with something as simple as building jumps in the playground and racing through the streets with my friends. Once my dad took me to my first mountain bike training at Licht Verzet, around the age of seven, it quickly became clear this was the sport for me. I began competing early, winning a lot of races and stepping up to national events. But back then it was all driven by joy and natural talent. I wasn’t training in any structured way; I was just fast on the bike, had good handling skills, and loved riding. That love for riding naturally led to winning. I saw other kids my age feeling pressure, training hard, and sometimes quitting because it stopped being fun. For me, it was always the joy that kept me going. I never started out thinking I’d become a professional; I just wanted to see how far I could get. In the end, that pure enjoyment is what led me to the success I have now.
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THE RHYTHM OF EVERYDAY LIFE
A typical week is pretty straightforward: I train every day except Thursday—that’s my dedicated dad day. Our family life is completely shaped around top-level sport. It’s a 24/7, 365-days-a-year lifestyle, which means the bike always comes along. Holidays, family trips, even Christmas—the training plan never really stops. That rhythm definitely affects our private life, but my girlfriend and my kids are a huge part of this journey, and we’ve made it our norm. Whenever possible, I bring the family along—like joining a training camp so I can train in the mornings and spend the afternoons with the kids.
I also try to have them with me at some races, so they can really see what Dad is doing when I’m away from home. Often, they just know that Daddy’s gone and they miss me. This way, they can experience a bit of my world. And it’s pretty special for them (and me) to see what I’m doing out there.
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MINDSET AND MOTIVATION
Mindset and motivation in top sport always come with a bit of built-in doubt. It’s natural when you’re chasing high goals. At some point, you’re so deep in focus that you lose the helicopter view. It took me about three years to shift toward a more process-oriented mindset. And even though that might sound like a simple change, it’s not. After so many years in the sport, I still sometimes struggle to find the right balance and put myself in the best position to perform.
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In the end, we’re humans, not robots. And that human side—the constant learning, adapting, and reflecting—is what makes the journey so valuable.
Jeroen van Eck
GEAR AND PRECISION
When it comes to gear and equipment, I don’t have rigid rituals. I believe in staying flexible as an athlete. Still, I’m deeply interested in the technical side of things. With my background in technical business administration, I love figuring out how to make everything as efficient and effective as possible.
That’s also why I really value working with Ghost Bikes — their engineering and attention to detail perfectly match my own mindset. My bike and my setup have to perform at the same level I expect from myself: strong, reliable, and precise. Everything needs to be thought through, and I enjoy that process of fine-tuning the details. If I demand the best from myself, my equipment has to meet that same standard.
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WHAT THIS LIFE TEACHES YOU
What I’ve learned from this life is simple: go out and discover. Go on adventures, step into the world, and do what you love.
I started as a seven-year-old boy who just wanted to have fun on his bike, and I’ve never lost that feeling. That same joy still drives me today. It’s what pushes me to inspire others, to share my adventures, and to celebrate achievements together.
Through cycling, I’ve seen the world in ways I never could have imagined—from my bike, through nature, across cultures and countries I might never have visited otherwise. And that’s exactly what I want to pass on to my children: go explore, be amazed, and keep discovering.
There’s nothing more beautiful than the world itself. When you focus on the process instead of just the result, you realize that the road toward your goal is what makes it truly meaningful. The result will come naturally.
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