🚀 16-20: Longboards, Open Roads & A World Record

At 16, Jesse ditched the ordinary and grabbed a longboard, rolling his way through Europe on pure adventure spirit (and a lot of leg power). From Amsterdam to Copenhagen, he discovered the magic of self-supported travel—naïve enough to think it was easy, but tough enough to make it work. Strangers became friends, and every road was a story. Oh, and just for fun? He set a world record on Alpe d’Huez, climbing it twice… on a longboard.

🚴‍♂️ 20-24: Bike Messenger Life & Endless Miles

Next stop: the bike messenger grind. Jesse spent these years weaving through city traffic, clocking 25+ hours a week in the saddle. Every holiday? Another two-wheeled escape—crisscrossing Europe, the UK, and even Taiwan, with nothing but a bike, a tent, and a hunger for the unknown. And when the wheels stopped turning, the legs kept moving—trading pedals for trail runs, chasing peaks, and soaking in the wild landscapes on foot.

🏊‍♂️🚴‍♂️🏃‍♂️ 25-30: From Dead Last to Pro Triathlete

2019: Jesse tries a triathlon. Big mistake—he can’t swim. Comes out of the water dead last. But then? Overtakes almost everyone on the bike and runs a sub-20 min 5K with dates stuffed in his back pocket. Can’t complain about the idea, but the molten dates weren’t the best snack.

Fast-forward: Year by year, he levels up, training with the Trican Team, refining his swim (thankfully), and chasing bigger goals. Winning a variety of short course races before stepping up to long course.

In 2023 came his first middle-distance race—expectations? None. Tears when crossing the line? Yes. Reality? Second overall in the age group race, breaking the 4-hour barrier and unknowingly qualifying for the Challenge Championships. Almost won the whole thing, too. Turns out, this triathlon thing might actually be his calling.

2025 marks his second pro season, now ranked Top 10 in the Netherlands on the PTO. The journey? Still DIY—Jesse travels race-to-race in his self-built van, living proof that adventure never stops, it just gets faster.