Jo Planckaert

VIP Driver

Biography of Jo

Jo Planckaert needs no introduction in the world of cycling. As the son of Willy, former winner of the green jersey in the Tour de France, and nephew to Eddy and Walter, he is a member of Belgium’s best-known cycling family. They all used to race at a high level. Jo himself won 40 races in his thirteen-year professional career, including Nokere Koerse, the GP de Denain and Tro Bro Léon. Although Paris-Roubaix is his all-time favourite. In 1997 he finished second in the Hell of the North, in 1999 he came fifth (some of our sports directors will surely remember that edition).

The Nevele resident has been a VIP driver at Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl for over a decade. He can be seen on the road with guests in many of the biggest races throughout the year, a job he fulfills with lots of passion and humour. “I believe it’s important to make our guests happy”, he says. “I give them food and drinks, they can get close to the riders, get a tour in the team bus and come to different places on the course… Sometimes I give water bottles to the riders and let them assist me. In this way they themselves contribute to a possible victory.”