NK with Mees Hendrikx

The Dutch National Cyclocross Championships (NK Veldrijden) at Oisterwijk

For the national championships, I spent my day a bit differently than normal. Instead of photographing all of the races, I hung out with and photographed the elite rider Mees Hendrikx. I already did a profile on him earlier in the season, but we decided on another collaboration for this race.

After his reconnaissance ride, Mees returned to his camper. With the Belgian championship races playing on a tablet, he prepared for his day ahead. He and I spent time chatting, discussing his start into cycling and cyclocross, his journey as a professional rider, and his hopes for the upcoming year. Mees is warm and friendly, so it was a great pleasure to get to know him a bit better. His parents and his partner (plus their dog!) are his support staff, and his brothers came out as spectators to cheer Mees on. It was truly a family affair that I enjoyed being present for.