The Try-All Champion

Four-times Trial Word Cup winner, eight-times Trial World champion and twice European champion Kenny Belaey on impossible obstacles, tricks to success – and why a mosquito nearly prevented him from triumphing at the recent European Championships in Cologne.

When did you last use the phrase “that’s impossible”?

Can’t remember. But I heard it recently from a TV reporter. He simply wouldn’t believe that I’d be able to jump over the obstacle next to him. Naturally that fired my ambition, and I had to prove it to him …

Is there such a thing as an “impossible” obstacle for you?

Of course there are obstacles that simply can’t be overcome. But one should try everything at least once, before declaring it to be impossible.

After the first day of the European Championships on September 16 and 17 in Cologne (Germany) it looked as though it would be “impossible” for you to defend your title. In fact, you only made it into the final by a hair’s breadth.

A catastrophic day! I was under great pressure, wasn’t able to sleep the night before the competition because of a mosquito in my room, plus I was suffering from a pulled muscle. But one of my strengths is the ability to tune out all distractions, focus on my goal and trust in my skills. That’s how I fought my way to the title on the second day.

Confidence in one’s own abilities as a means to overcome even the most difficult obstacles sounds like the perfect guideline in dealing with all of life’s problems. Does this approach help you in everyday life too?

Well, sport is the best school for life there is. I have so much to do every day – first I train for four hours, then I sell bikes or organize events, which means making thousands of phone calls – I’m often close to flipping out. That’s when my experience in sport helps me to keep my head clear and concentrate on dealing with one task after the other. Because life works exactly the same way as trialling: you have to start with small obstacles, learn to overcome them, and then give yourself increasingly difficult tasks …

Your home country Belgium is renowned for its road-racing cyclists. The idea of simply riding a bike fills you with boredom, doesn’t it?

You’ve said it. Cycling is part of my fitness program, but I think it’s as dull as dishwater. When I was 18 years old, I tried cyclocross racing, but after a year I lost interest in that as well.

How do you prepare for an important event like the European Championships?

I train for five hours every day plus additional weight training at a fitness studio. Many trial bikers don’t appreciate how important it is to be in top condition when competing. But power reserves are enormously significant, particularly for difficult jumps. I use the last week before a contest to chill and just practice my technique.

What was the most unusual obstacle you ever used for a trick?

A girl lying on the ground while I jumped over her.

Allegedly there is another sport in which you are nearly as proficient as in trial biking: playstation playing.

I’m addicted to my PSP. I play when I’m flying, in the car, in the intervals during the shows. I really don’t know what I’d do, if it hadn’t been invented ...