One of Belgium’s most promising cyclists for a generation, Jilke Michielsen, has tragically died at just 19 due to terminal bone cancer.
Over the weekend, the cycling world mourned the loss of the talented cyclist, who had become a teenage sensation in Belgium thanks to her successes as a former national champion across road, time trial and track disciplines.
The sad news was announced on her Instagram page last Friday, 15 May, alongside an image of her and the quote: "Don’t complain, just enjoy".
Michielsen had won a Belgian tricolour jersey in the Omnium race in 2022 and finished eighth in the Junior Tour of Flanders that same year. She had represented Belgium at the European Youth Olympic Festival (EYOF) in Slovenia in 2023
For years, the 19-year-old had been widely tipped as one of the most promising up-and-coming cyclists in Belgium.
Belgian Athlete Jilke Michielsen pictured in action during a training session at a team building training camp of the young Team Belgium athletes in Gent, Wednesday 19 July 2023. Credit: Belga / Kurt Desplenter
Tragically, Michielsen’s rising career was cut short for health reasons. In 2023, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of bone cancer (known as Ewing's sarcoma), subsequently announcing that she would be taking a step back from the sport while undergoing treatment.
After blood transfusions, surgeries, scans and months of being nearly unable to move, she was given the all-clear in 2024, according to a social media post.
However, after further scans taken last year, doctors found that the cancer had returned. They opted to put her back on chemotherapy treatment. Unfortunately, she had been set to return to cycling and racing last winter.
'Took a turn for the worse'
In an interview earlier this month, Michielsen announced that due to health complications, she had stopped chemotherapy.
"Things took a sudden turn for the worse. Until a few weeks ago, the treatment was working well. Then I suddenly started feeling worse, completely drained. It turned out I wasn’t producing any more blood cells, because chemo also affects your healthy cells," she told Het Nieuwsblad.
"I wasn’t recovering anymore; my body was exhausted. That’s when the doctors decided to stop the chemo. That hit me hard," Michielsen said at the time.
Nevertheless, she had vowed to "not live in countdown mode", and had spent her time continuing her medical studies, passing her driving test, planning to get a tattoo and travelling with friends, including trips to the Belgian coast and London.
In recent months, Michielsen had accepted the fact that the resurfacing of the illness meant that she would be unable to return to cycling – admitting it was still difficult to watch the hordes of cycling tourists zoom past her on a sunny day.
Former cycling star Jilke Michielsen holidaying in London. Credit: Instagram
Rare but aggressive illnesses
Hoping to give back to others going through the same thing, she had also been sharing her journey with terminal bone cancer on social media. Reading testimonies from others facing the same fate had greatly helped the young woman process the difficult news.
Last month, promising Dutch cyclist Jade Kops also died aged 19 due to a muscle cell tumour. One expert, speaking to Het Nieuwsblad, said that cancers in teenagers can be rare but are also more aggressive.
"Ewing’s sarcoma, for example, is so aggressive that sometimes the only option is palliative care," oncologist Sylvie Rottey (UZ Gent) told the Dutch-language Belgian daily.
Following her tragic death last Friday, tributes from all over the cycling world poured in.
"We will always remember your beautiful smile, your strong fighting spirit and optimism," said a statement from Team Belgium, the country's national cycling team. "Our heartfelt thoughts go out to her family and friends at this difficult time."
One of her close friends and French track cyclist, Hélène Hesters, also paid her a moving tribute on social media.
"We laughed, we cried, we were sometimes angry with each other, but above all, we shared a friendship that I will cherish forever," Hesters wrote.
"You enjoyed life, you fought hard, but you never gave up – that’s exactly how I’ll always remember you. Now you can ride your most beautiful stage race in peace, and know that I’ll always be standing on the sidelines cheering you on."
