Laurens De Plus has been the most consistent Belgian U23 rider in 2015 and obtained two important victories in the Giro delle Valle d'Aosta and Ghent-Staden. 

"The victory in Valle d'Aosta was the best moment of my season," he tells DirectVelo. "This is the most famous stage race for climbers. I had ambitions there but I did not expect to win a stage." 

In the mountains, the rider from the U23 Lotto-Soudal also showed himself at the Ronde de l'Isard where he was second after suffering a puncture at the wrong time at the bottom of the Plateau de Beille.

His victory at the start of season in Ghent-Staden was a surprise. 

"It's amazing. Every week I am up there,” he says. But he soon found a reason for this consistency. "I built a good foundation in the winter and during the season I really lived fully to cycling. And I was also a bit of luck," he admits. 

And sometimes, he also had a bit of bad luck like in the finale of the World Championship where he had to dismount after Nathan Van Hooydonck skid on the pavement. 

The 20-year-old will turn pro next year as he has signed a contract with Etixx-QuickStep. He explains his choice to leave the Lotto Soudal family.

"It was not easy. I had five beautiful proposals and it was a choice between Lotto and QuickStep - the team of my dreams when I was a child. I felt that Patrick Lefevere showed me more confidence and I really have a good relationship with him." 

With a three-year contract he hopes to "continue to grow year after year. I hope to learn, even if it's cliché, and discover some WorldTour races that allow me to improve." 

The climber will not have a Grand Tour in his program during the first year "but perhaps in 2017 or 2018." Laurens De Plus will make his debut in the Vuelta a Mallorca in late January.