Kenny Belaey
Kenny Belaey is a Belgian trialbiker, riding for over 25 years now. During those years he crowned himself to UCI medals record holder and much more...
Thanks to his titles, professionalism, style and ability to interact with the crowd Belaey is one of the biggest names in the mountainbike trials world scene. The Belgian has been at the cutting edge of his sport for more than 20 years now, achieving his first 26 inch UCI Elite crown in 2002.
Kenny is always proactive in promoting his sponsors and his sport as well. The last couple of years Kenny has been traveling extensively to perform shows all over the world, making appearances on TV and working with photographers and journalists to create trial features for the world’s leading bike and sports magazines.
Belaey started in competition in 1992, inspired by his dad Ronny who was a big motor and trials fan. Hard work, athletic skills and fierce natural talent started to pay off soon. In 1996 he made his international debut in Spa-Francorchamps coming home fifth. Another two year later (1998) he claimed his first cadet world champion title. He wrote history in 2000 when he won the Junior Worlds in both 20” and 26”. Kenny continued to make a name for himself by dominating the 2005 and 2006 seasons, taking back-to-back world titles. He even made it a ‘triple’ in 2005 racking up the World, European and World Cup overall titles. His ability to clear seemingly impossible obstacles and pull off amazing saves has earned him the nick name ‘The Magician’
More than anyone he’s pushing to help developing the sport and reaching a more mainstream audience. Early on in 2009 Belaey has set off on a five-week global trek crossing from Spain to England, Cleveland, California and Hawaii in the US. His encounters with biking legends places and athletes influencing the sport will be the backbone of a forthcoming TV series to be aired on the ‘Extreme Sports Channel’. Featured sporting celebrities include: Toni Bou (moto trials star), Dave Mirra (X-games BMX legend), Hans Rey and Ot Pi (bike trials pioneers), Danny Macaskill (Scottish street riding ace) and many more.
In 2011 the 4th and 5th episode went on air for Belgian TV and the Extreme Sportschannel, showcasing his adventures during a road trip through South Africa.
In 2011 he also decided to start organize all Belgian UCI world cup rounds, having the biggest media outcome in the history of the sport with live international TV coverage...
From 2012 onwards after a wrist injury he realised how fragile an athlete's career really is.... so he decided to even work harder than before - both on and off the bike - and came back stronger than ever. He started focussing more on bigger projects in the USA , riding shows at mass events such as the NBA games, then he rode over a slackline in the French Alps which reached over 600 million people worldwide and manages a European Action multi sports road show, with the Pedal to the Medal crew consisting of Trials, BMX, Live DJ & MC!
Because a sports career is fragile and short Kenny is always searching for long term projects which all form the Belaey brand:
* Casa Belaey is a real estate program in the South of Spain and Northwest Arkansas (USA) where athletes go train or rented out for holidays.
* In 2019 he also founded the Bentonville Bike Fest in the USA, an all inclusive event that celebrates everything you can find in the MTB capital of the World.
FACTS
named after American motorcycle legend Kenny Roberts
became the first ever UCI professional bike trials rider in 2003 with the ‘Topsport Vlaanderen’ cyclingteam
-oves rock and metal music, wants to improve his guitar skills but lacks time for practice!
cites Belgian trials legend Thierry Klinkenberg (his first trainer) among his big influences together with Hans
Rey, Cesar Canas and Ot Pi
father Ronny is one of the best trials competition course builders
has performed in over 50 countries in over 2000 shows
made two Trials focused videos ‘Zero Tolerance’ and ‘The ambasadors’
he likes all forms of bicycle racing, even in the off season he’s known to take on MTB adventures
on September 21st, 2009 he sharpened his Guinness world record for most 180° rotations in a minute (35)
Has been the UCI riders representative since 2005 and has introduced some big changes the past years with the help of all riders.
Has appeared in several national & international TV shows
First trials rider who was nominated for Belgian Sportsman of the year (top 10). Tom Boonen mentioned his
name amongst top 3...
First rider who managed to have his own Tv show on the Extreme sportschannel reaching 55 countries and
over 23 million households.
Founder of the Bentonville Bike Fest, UCI Trials World cups Belgium, Pedal to the Medal, Women Shred, Belaey Trials Academy, Casa Belaey and the Bike Art project.
First pro athlete to transition an athlete's career in to an arts carreer. Making art by using his tyres as a brush...
PROFILE Kenny Belaey
Nationality: Belgian
Bike : Hyper Bicycles
Date of birth: 26/01/1983
Hometown : Bellem (Aalter)
Length : 1m 79
Weight : 83 kg
Website : www.belaeytrials.com
Married to Barbara Matthys
Kids: Cesar Belaey
Varia
Sponsors : Red Bull, Monkey Sauce, Rad Protection film, First Cycle apparel, Thule, Landers Toyota.
Trial since: 1992
Competition debut: Leuven, Bierbeek
Nickname : ‘The Magician’
Career tally
2023: Third edition of the Bentonville Bike Fest / NBA halftime shows / Pedal to the Medal shows / Social media ontent creation
2022: Second edition of the Bentonville Bike Fest / NBA halftime shows / Pedal to the Medal shows / Social media content creation / First gallery art show
2021: First edition of the Bentonville Bike Fest / retired from competitions
2020: Launch of the BIKE ART project, making abstract artworks with a bicycle / Founder of the Bentonville Bike Fest
2019: NBA shows / Adventure project in Lebanon / Founder of women shred, an MTB women festival in Bentonville USA
2018: Bronze medal World champs in Chengdu China / NBA shows / Rally of Portugal pedal to the medal shows / Adventure project in Alaska
2017: Bronze Medal World champs in Chengdu China / NBA shows / Dropping on the Kjerag Bolten (900m) in the Norway Fjords
2016: Bronze medal World champs in Italy / NBA shows / release of the Pedal to the medal show with shows at WRC rally of Wales and Porto and many other prestigious events.
2015: BALANCE project: World first by riding over an 18m long slackline at 2700m altitude over a 112m gorge in the French Alps / Bronze medal at the World champs in Andorra / NBA shows
2014: Bronze medal World champs Norway, Silver medal European championships Poland, NBA shows
2013: NBA shows in Seattle, Portland and San Francisco / global TV appearances / TV commercial for Volkswagen cvi / Come Back of the year winning bronze after injury / Laureus ambassador nomination / Launch Tshirt merchandising
2012: Appearance in the Olympic Samsung TVcommercial feat. David Beckham / Big injury held him back for the rest of the season, still bringing home a bronze medal at the worlds. 2011: Appearance in the biggest global Adidas commercial ever. ALL IN / European champion / 2nd World cup overall / 2nd World championships / Volkswagen advert / Red Bull mobile advert.
2010: show for the prestigious Laureus awards reaching millions of viewers in 180countries/ WORLD CHAMPION/ European championship 2nd/ World cup 3rd
2009: World Cup overall winner / Bronze European championship / Silver Worlds
2008: World cup Barcelona winner, World Cup overall runner up (all in 26” class)
2007: World Cup overall winner, 3rd in Worlds, Belgian champion, world record ‘180° rotations’ (all in 26” class)
2006: World champion, European champion, Belgian champion (all in 26” class),
2005: World Champion, World Cup overall winner, European champion (all in 26” class), 2004: World Cup overall, 3rd in European championship (all in 26”class)
2004: world cup overall winner
2003: World Cup Overall, 3rd in Worlds, 2nd in Europeans (all 26”)
2002: World champ (26” class)
2001: Junior world champ & World Cup overall (20” klasse), 3rd in Junior Worlds & Belgian champ (26”)
2000: Junior world champ 26”, European Junior champ 26”, junior world champ 20”, Belgian Elite 20” and 26” champion + world cup overall
1999: Cadet world champ 20”, Belgian elite Elite 20” champ
1998: Cadet world champ 20”, 3rd in European 26”, Belgian Junior champ 26”
