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 carved out a reputation as a tough, resilient classics specialist in the punishing world of professional cycling. Hailing from Flanders, his career spanned the late 1990s and 2000s, a period where he became a familiar figure in breakaways and tough one-day races. While he secured stage wins in races like the Tour de France and the Vuelta a España, his legacy is defined by a single, dramatic day in 2005. At 33, an age when many riders are winding down, Mattan launched a daring solo attack in the final kilometers of Gent-Wevelgem, holding off a charging peloton to seize the biggest win of his life. That victory, seized with sheer willpower, cemented his status as a rider who embodied the hard-nosed spirit of Flemish cycling. After retiring, he 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.”
