Nico Mattan
A gritty Belgian rider who clinched a monumental Gent-Wevelgem victory in the twilight of his career, proving perseverance trumps youth.
Born 1971 (age 55)·Belgian cyclist·Birthday: July 17·Generation X
Biography
Nico Mattan won Gent-Wevelgem in 2005 with a daring solo attack in the final kilometers, holding off a charging peloton at age 33. The Belgian classics specialist from Flanders raced professionally from the late 1990s through the 2000s. He secured stage wins in the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España. That victory in Gent-Wevelgem, seized with sheer willpower, defined his career. After retiring, Mattan transitioned into team management, guiding the next generation of riders.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Nico was born in 1971, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Nico Was Born
The biggest hits of 1971
#1 Movie
Fiddler on the Roof
Best Picture
The French Connection
#1 TV Show
Marcus Welby, M.D.
Nico's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1971Born
Voting age lowered to 18 in the US
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $18,100Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Joy to the World" — Three Dog NightBest Picture: The French Connection
1976Started school
Apple Computer founded; US bicentennial
Gas: $0.59/galHome: $29,300Min wage: $2.30/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Silly Love Songs" — WingsBest Picture: Rocky
1984Became a teenager
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1987Could drive
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1989Could vote
Berlin Wall falls; Tiananmen Square protests
Gas: $1.00/galHome: $79,100Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"Look Away" — ChicagoBest Picture: Driving Miss Daisy
1992Turned 21
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2001Turned 30
September 11 attacks transform the world
Gas: $1.46/galHome: $126,400Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Hanging by a Moment" — LifehouseBest Picture: A Beautiful Mind
2011Turned 40
Osama bin Laden killed; Arab Spring sweeps the Middle East
Gas: $3.53/galHome: $138,400Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Rolling in the Deep" — AdeleBest Picture: The Artist
2021Turned 50
January 6 Capitol breach; COVID vaccines roll out globally
Gas: $3.01/galHome: $298,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Joe Biden"Levitating" — Dua LipaBest Picture: CODA
2026Age 55 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Won the prestigious Gent–Wevelgem one-day classic in 2005 with a late solo attack.
- Secured stage victories in both the Tour de France (2001) and the Vuelta a España (1999).
- Achieved multiple top-ten finishes in major classics like Paris–Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders.
Did You Know?
His 2005 Gent-Wevelgem win was so close that the photo finish camera malfunctioned, requiring officials to examine a TV broadcast to confirm his victory.
He is the father of professional cyclist Luca Mattan, who races for the Bingoal WB team.
After retiring, he served as a directeur sportif for the professional Continental team Sport Vlaanderen–Baloise.
“Winning Gent-Wevelgem in a sprint, that was my masterpiece.”
