Cycling meets sports medicine

• Extra sports imaging ultrasound workshops & lunch sessions
• Symposium center is located on the EC track

Aaron L. Baggish M.D. FACC, FACSM
Brief Bio-summary

Dr. Aaron L. Baggish is the founder of the Cardiovascular Performance Program (CPP) at Harvard Medical School and now professor of medicine and sports science at the University of Lausanne. He has served as medical director for the Boston Marathon and cardiology/team physician consultant for numerous organizations including the IOC, FIFA, World Rowing, Trek-Lidl Cycling, NFL & MLS Player’s Association, UOSPC, US Soccer, and US Rowing. He has published more than 300 original peer reviewed research articles and serves on the editorial boards of multiple journals including Circulation and Medicine & Science in Sports and Exercise.

Contact Information:
aaronbaggish@gmail.com +41 79 918 05 63 (SUI) / +1 617-943-4545 (USA)

Wim Derave is a professor at the Department of Movement and Sports Sciences at Ghent University (Belgium), a global top ranked sport science institute (http://www.shanghairanking.com/Special- Focus-Institution-Ranking/Sport-Science-Schools-and-Departments-2016.html). He teaches and leads a dynamic research team in exercise physiology, sport nutrition and muscle metabolism.

After obtaining his Master’s Degree in Physical Education and Movement Sciences at Ghent University, Wim made a PhD on the effects of exercise on muscle insulin action and glycogen metabolism, in collaboration with Prof. JL Pannier and Prof. Erik Richter from the prestigious Copenhagen Muscle Research Centre in Denmark. During his post-doc work in Prof. Peter Hespel’s lab at the K.U.Leuven (Belgium), his main research focus was the physiological role and the nutritional manipulation of the creatine system in skeletal muscle. Since 2005, Wim established his own laboratory in Ghent, which has taken a lead in the research regarding beta-alanine supplementation and the role of carnosine in skeletal muscle, both with respect to sport as to chronic metabolic diseases. An emerging research topic of his group relates to the development of an MRI-based - thus non-invasive - evaluation of muscle fiber type composition (the Muscle Talent Scan), and its applications towards talent identification, training advice and injury risk in athletes and team sport players. In 2017, Wim spent a 6-month sabbatical at the Gold Coast (Australia) as a visiting professor of Griffith University, to further develop the Muscle Talent Scan in elite Australian athletes.

Wim Derave has authored more than 150 peer-reviewed international scientific publications.

Thijs Eijsvogels, PhD is an Associate Professor of Exercise Physiology. His research training started at Radboud University (PhD degree, NL), followed by postdoctoral fellowships at Hartford Hospital (USA) and Liverpool John Moores University (UK). Dr. Eijsvogels is interested in the physiological and cardiovascular responses to acute and chronic exercise training. His research is focused on the benefits and potential deleterious effects of exercise across the whole physical activity spectrum: from cardiovascular disease patients demonstrating excessive sedentary behavior to veteran athletes performing long-term, high volume, high-intensity exercise training. He currently leads the Exercise Physiology research group at the Radboud University Medical Center (Nijmegen, NL), with the aim to optimize exercise prescription for cardiovascular health improvement. For this purpose, research techniques from the fields of physiology, cardiology and epidemiology are integrated in his multidisciplinary team.

Dr Tom Teulingkx (1974) is a general practitioner and sports physician in Westerlo . since 2013 he ‘s Chairman of SKA (vereniging Sport- en keuringsartsen ) and since 2022 Chairman of Belgium federation of sports and exercise medicines,  member of medical commite of Belgian Cycling and member of  part of Board of directors of Sporta Federation . With Ska he developed VASO , Flemish Recommendation of Preparticipation medical examination  (VASO) and  the Sport cardiac action plan (SCA)

I am a senior researcher at the Heart Centre of Amsterdam University Medical Centre. Primary research interests include secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease and healthy lifestyle programs. With a master's degree in epidemiology and a strong background in nursing and teaching, my professional experience has included substantial positions in research and education. My work continues to have impact on the field of cardiovascular research, helping to inform healthcare professionals and improve patient outcomes. I have to admit I am not an experienced race biker, although I can proudly say I do ride my sports bike to work every day.

Marius Myrstad, MD, PhD, FESC,  is senior consultant and researcher at Baerum Hospital, Norway. Leader of the Norwegian Exercise and Atrial Fibrillation Initiative NEXAF (www.nexaf.no) and principal investigator (PI) of the international randomized controlled trial (RCT) Effects of Detraining in Endurance Athletes with Atrial Fibrillation (NEXAF Detraining). Local PI of The Norwegian Exercise and Atrial Fibrillation Trial, a RCT on exercise in patients with atrial fibrillation. He is part of the Norwegian Atrial Fibrillation Research Network afib.no (www.afib.no). Has published several papers based on clinical and epidemiological studies on atrial fibrillation in endurance athletes and in relation to exercise. Passionate XC-skier and runner.

Former Chairman of the Department of Neurology of the Antwerp University Hospital and honorary professor of neurology at the University of Antwerp (Belgium), Patrick Cras trained as a medical doctor at the University of Antwerp (UA, 1983), as a research fellow in the Laboratory of Neuropathology at the Born Bunge Institute (1983-1985) and obtained a speciality certification and a PhD in neurology (1989). This was followed by a Fogarty Fellowship at Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, Ohio (1989-1991). He is one of the vice- chairmen of the Belgian National Bioethics Committee. He is the Chairman of the European Board of Neurology (Union Européenne des Médecins Spécialistes) and a member of the Joint Educational Board of the European Academy of Neurology. His research interests involve dementia, Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease (CJD), cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, movement disorders and the neuropathology of neurodegenerative diseases. He is the director of the National CJD Reference Center and NeuroBiobank, which determines CSF biomarkers for dementia and hosts a large research brain bank. He is also interested in the ethics of human experimentation, end-of-life decisions, euthanasia and research involving vulnerable subjects. He has been principal investigator in numerous pharmaceutical industry-sponsored studies on different compounds in Alzheimer’s and Parkinson’s disease and other movement disorders. He (co)authored more than 500 international peer-reviewed articles. As a neurologist interested in concussion, he is a former advisory group member for safe martial arts practice.

Jan Bogaert is a cardiovascular radiologist working at Gasthuisberg University Hospital and tenure- track professor at KU Leuven, Belgium. He has been active in the field of cardiovascular imaging for more than 30 years, published 300 peer reviewed scientific papers, written 55 chapters, and edited three textbooks on cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). Over the years, more than 75 fellows from 22 countries worldwide, got trained in CMR under his supervision. When doctor Bogaert is not professionally active, his passion goes to mountain-biking, cooking, photography and travelling.

Professor Heidbuchel graduated as MD in 1986 and obtained a PhD in Cardiac Cellular Electrophysiology in 1992. He worked as Research Fellow of the NIH and Fogarty International at the University of Oklahoma (1993–1994) and was Fundamental Clinical Investigator of the Fund for Scientific Research Flanders from 1996 till 2006.

He was appointed as Professor of Cardiology – Arrhythmology at the University of Leuven, Belgium in 1994. Since October 2016 he is the Chair of Cardiology at Antwerp University. He was President of the European Heart Rhythm Association (EHRA) from 2018 to 2020 and Chair of the Section on Sports Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiology from 2010 to 2012.

He has published over 420 papers in international peer-reviewed journals (h-index 86), from cellular to clinical electrophysiology, from ablations and device therapy to sports cardiology.

Tomas Robyns is an assistant professor at the department of cardiovascular sciences of the University of Leuven and cardiologist at the university hospitals of Leuven. He has special expertise in cardiogenetics and electrophysiology. He is the head of the Centre for hereditary heart disease at the University hospitals Leuven. His research focuses on the genotype phenotype relation of inherited cardiomyopathies and arrhythmia syndromes.

Xavier Bigard, MD, PhD,
Medical director Union Cycliste Internationale

Pr. Xavier Bigard is a sports physician, physiologist and nutritionist. He has a long career as scientist with a focus on exercise physiology, muscle biology, sports nutrition, tolerance of physical training, and the adaptation of active Humans to extreme environmental conditions (altitude, heat, cold). Pr. Bigard was scientific advisor of the president of the French Antidoping Agency during 6 years, and currently member of the Health-Medicine-Research Committee of the World Anti-Doping Agency. Pr. Xavier Bigard is now Medical Director of the International Cycling Federation, in charge of programs to maintain athletes' health and member of the ASOIF (Association of Summer Olympic International Federations) Medical and Scientific Consultative Group.

Reinout Van Schuylenbergh, with over 30 years of experience in coaching endurance sports, was the technical director for the Belgian Cycling and Triathlon Federations for two decades. He earned his PhD in Exercise Physiology from the University of Leuven, Belgium, and remains an active educator there. Reinout is owner of 3LAB Sportsconsultancy. In his leisure time he enjoys endurance sports and playing the drums.

Dr. Kaatje Goetschalckx works as a cardiologist, certified sports and cardiac rehabilitation specialist in the Division of Cardiovascular Diseases at the University Hospitals Leuven in Belgium. She is head of the department of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Prevention (>2000 patients/y). Cardiovascular risk estimation and sports participation screening in athletes, but also in high risk groups such as solid organ transplant patients (Transplantoux) is part of her clinical praxis. She completed a Master in Medical Imaging on Magnetic Resonance Imaging, and a Master in Sports Medicine. She teaches ‘Physiology of Exercise’ in the Master of Sports Medicine (KU Leuven).

Sara studied medicine at the Vrije Universiteit Brussel. She is currently working as a Gynecologic surgeon at the Brugmann hospital in Brussels, where she is specialized in Minimally Invasive Surgery (vaginal and laparoscopic surgery). As a Urogynecologist, she is also working as a team member of the Multidisciplinary Perineal Clinic. After a complementary formation in Sports Medicine and mentored by Professor Luc Baeyens, she joined the Sports Clinic of the CHU Brugmann hospital in order to offer an individualized gynecological follow-up and treatment for sports women, a population still too often ignored.

Jean Nicolas Dacher is a cardiac radiologist and a Professor of Radiology and Medical Imaging appointed by the University Hospital and the Centre Hospitalier et Universitaire of Rouen-Normandie in France.

He is the Chief of the Department of Radiology and the Head of the cardiac imaging unit including Cardiac CT and MRI facilities. He is also a member of the Research INSERM unit UMR1096 (Pharmacology and endothelial/myocardial dysfunction).

Cardiac Imaging was a high priority of the University Hospital of Rouen since many years considering the advent and development of Transcatheter aortic valve implantation (First in man implantation was performed in Rouen in 2002 by Alain Cribier and his interventional cardiology team).

Jean Nicolas Dacher is involved in many sub specialties of cardiology with a special interest in coronary artery disease, cardiomyopathies, congenital cardiopathies and of course valvular heart disease.

He authored or co-authored approximately 200 journal articles and several book chapters and have given many lectures in cardiac imaging either in the French speaking or international community.

Erwin Koninckx works as a training coordinator supporting the National coaches in the development and high performance programs of Belgian Cycling. From a background as Civil Engineer and Master in the rehabilitation sciences and physiotherapy he obtained his PhD on applied biomechanics in elite cycling from the University of Leuven, Belgium, followed by a research period on aerodynamics in sport. In line with this, he is the embedded scientist of Cycling Vlaanderen responsible for applied research projects in favour of both youth and elite athletes.

Prof. Dr. K. Smeets graduated as an orthopedic surgeon at the University Hospitals of Leuven, where he focused on knee and sports problems. After his trainingship, he did fellowships with internationally renowned knee surgeons at the North Sydney Orthopaedic & Sports Medicine Centre (Sydney – Australia), the Mayo Clinic (Rochester - USA) and the Steadman Clinic (Vail - USA). Thereafter, he fine-tuned his knowledge and experience at ZOL Genk, where he was the fellow of Professor Bellemans during multiple years.

During this period he was also trained in musculoskeletal ultrasound. Currently as orthopedic surgeon, he is part of the Orthoteam Limburg, working at campus Vesalius (Tongeren).

Prof. Dr. Smeets did innovative research considering the ligamentous stability around the knee and successfully defended his doctoral thesis around this topic. He has been awarded the academic degree of doctor of (Bio)Medical Sciences at Universiteit Hasselt and KU Leuven.

Prof. Dr. Smeets is a member of the medical staff at the Belgian Olympic and Interfederal Committee (BOIC/COIB) and accompanies Team Belgium during international games. As team physician he covered national soccer teams of the Royal Belgian Football Association (RBFA). He is an active member of the Belgian Knee Society (BKS) and European Knee Society (EKS).

Ingenieur met een passie voor fietsen…

Bert Celis is mede-oprichter van Flanders’ Bike Valley (opgericht in 2012 i.s.m. Ridley, Bioracer, Lazer-Shimano en Voxdale) en bouwde de eerste fietswindtunnel in Europa in Beringen (geopend in April 2016) waar intussen meer dan 10 verschillende World Tour teams metingen hebben uitgevoerd. Bert was projectleider van het COLD2GOLDproject aangaande koelkledij voor de OS2020 en verschillende innovatieprojecten in de fietsindustrie. De afgelopen 4 jaar wordt in eigen team/bedrijf gefocust op de ontwikkeling van fietsairbags zowel voor woon-werk verkeer als voor het professioneel wielrennen.

• Materiaalkundig Ingenieur (KU Leuven-1997), MBA, Master in e-Business (AMS)
• CEO B-Cells BV
• Co-Founder Flanders’ Bike Valley
• Co-founder Ambassify
• Project Leider Windtunnel in Beringen, Cold2Gold (Team Belgium-OS2020), Smart Bike Project, Cycle Highway Academy,….
• Expert in Fiets Aerodynamica, Koelkledij, Six Sigma Black Belt bij Philips (1998-2007)

Harald T. Jørstad (1980) is a senior attending cardiologist and a consultant cardiologist in sports and prevention at the Amsterdam UMC and the Sports Medical Center Papendal (Dutch Olympic Center). He is also the head of the Cardiac Care Unit/ Cardiac Emergency Room at the Amsterdam UMC. He pioneered the first sports cardiology fellowship in the Netherlands, and is currently the head of the Amsterdam UMC sports cardiology unit, including the sports cardiology residency and fellow programmes.

He is the past-chair and current board member of the national Sports Cardiology Section of the Netherlands Society of Cardiology, and chairs the Netherlands Olympic Committee (NOC*NSF) cardiac screening programme. He has a personal distinction as an NOC*NSF ‘High Performance Partner’. He was the Lead of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC) Young Community (2020-2022), and co-chair of the EAPC Accreditation sub- committee (2021-2024). He is currently an elected member of the EAPC Sports Cardiology Nucleus.

His research focusses on elite athletes and extreme phenotyping, pre- participation screening, imaging in athletes, return-to-sports in elite athletes with severe cardiovascular pathology, and network medicine and multidisciplinary decision-making in athletes with cardiovascular disease. He currently supervises numerous PhD students and post-docs. His research within the fields of sports cardiology and cardiovascular prevention has been is included in several European Society of Cardiology guidelines. His research in sports cardiology and prevention can be found on Pubmed, Orcid, Google Scholar and Scopus, and other information via LinkedIn. When not engaged in clinical work or research, he is a fervent runner and enthusiastic gym nerd.

Dr Guy De Schutter (1968) is a general practitioner and sports physician in Morkhoven (Herentals). He is sports physician of the men’s/women’s road, cyclocross and MTB cycling team Alpecin-deceuninck, FENIX-deceuninck. He is former head of the Sports Medicine Department of the Belgian Defense and member of the 'Topsportcommissie Defensie' (Elite Sports Commission Belgian Defense).

He is a founding member and board member of SKA (vereniging voor Sport- en keuringsartsen ). With Ska he developed VASO, Flemish Recommendation of Preparticipation Medical Examination (VASO) and the Sport cardiac action plan (SCA).

Cycling team doctor for Topsport Vlaanderen – Baloise: 2014 – 2016, NTT Pro Cycling, Qhubeka Nexthash: 2020 – 2021 and Lotto Soudal, Lotto Dstny: 2022 – 2024

Sports medicine physician at the military hospital in Brussels, Belgium

Injury prevention, physiotherapy, rehabilitation, exercise physiology SINCE 2011

Sports medicine physician at Energy Lab Ghent, Belgium 2012-2014

Military Physician (2008-2011)

• Primary care physician at the military base of Leopoldsburg, Belgium
• Medical support on military training camps and missions in Belgium and abroad, for example: Afghanistan (2009) and Lebanon (2010)

P E R S O N A L I T Y

Triathlon, adventure racing

Special interest in cycling performance management