Luc is crazy about pigeons and absolutely passionate about cycling. His admiration for cycling heroes is immense. A few years ago, Luc was riding alongside Johan Museeuw over the legendary cobblestone sections of the cycling monument Paris-Roubaix. While the “Lion of Flanders” Johan Museeuw was halfway down one of the cobbled stretches filming a vlog, Luc’s helmet and glasses were flying in every direction and he came off the cobbles half broken. Until last weekend, any further comparison between the two seemed impossible to find. But… if Johan is the “Lion of Flanders” in cycling, then Luc is certainly the “Lion of Flanders” in pigeon racing, because just like Johan Museeuw raised both hands in victory at the Roubaix velodrome in 2002 to celebrate his 10th World Cup victory, Luc could practically imitate that same iconic victory gesture last weekend, because with the National Bourges race, Luc and Hilde Sioen achieved their 10th national victory!

A few weeks ago, we already congratulated Hilde and Luc on their first victory of the new 2026 season, and I received the same response as Tom Boonen once gave to Terpstra while boasting about his first victories in February: “The first pancakes are for the children. Only the classics count.” And indeed… Luc and Hilde prove themselves in the classics. Of course, they need an east wind, but once the wind blows from that direction, they can be compared to the very best football striker who only gets a few chances on goal, but when he gets them, he smashes them in mercilessly hard.

“Perfect Cameron”

Since 2022, racing has been done from the new location — or should we say 2023, because the permit for placing the lofts remained on the mayor’s desk for a very long time. A one-year delay did not stop the Sioen pigeons from making an immediate impact. “Lorena” (B24-3021003) shone with 1st National La Souterraine against 5,288 yearlings in 2025, while her half-sister “Pauline” won 2nd National against 4,971 old birds. Three pigeons were entered for Libourne, and they found nothing better to do that day than winning 1st and 2nd Provincial. Oh yes… in 2026 there was also the Provincial Orleans victory by the hen “Mischa”… her ring number topped the results against 13,835 pigeons.

All top performances thanks to the current stock breeder “Perfect Cameron.” “Perfect Cameron” (B19-3007995) is a son of the phenomenal “Cameron” (B17-3070024 – 1st National Argenton and 1st National Limoges within two weeks).

“Perfect Cameron” is the father or grandfather of the following top pigeons:

• “Lorena” – 1st National La Souterraine ’25 against 5,288 pigeons (daughter)
• “Mischa” – 1st Interprovincial Orleans ’26 against 13,835 pigeons (daughter)
• “Maria” – 1st National Bourges ’26 against 22,975 pigeons (granddaughter)
• “Pauline” – 2nd National La Souterraine ’25 against 4,971 pigeons (granddaughter)
• “063/22” – 1st National Zone Argenton & 5th National La Souterraine ’25 against 4,971 pigeons (grandson)
• “869/23” – 1st Provincial (announced) Grevillers ’25 against 11,470 pigeons, 12th National Souillac ’25 against 4,577 pigeons, 12th Provincial Orleans ’25 against 11,670 pigeons (grandson)
• “825/23” – 1st Provincial Zone Chateaudun against 2,379 pigeons (grandson).

“Maria”

But now all attention goes to “Maria” (B23-3030865). Not immediately the leading hen of the team, but over the 2024/2025 season she was the 15th best La Souterraine pigeon in Belgium. We would say there are certainly worse pigeons flying around.

Whether “Maria” was specially motivated? Well, that could very well be the case, because “Maria,” just like her loft mates, had only been on widowhood for just over a week. Near the end of March, she was paired and allowed to raise a pair of youngsters. The fact that she had only recently started widowhood may somehow have motivated her enormously to go to the absolute limit.

Provincial Orleans had been flown, and at the Sioen household they planned to let the hens complete an easy Clermont as the final training flight before Bourges, but Clermont turned into a rain-soaked disaster. So much so that the two best hens did not receive a ticket for Bourges. But as you can see, when form reigns in the loft, many things are possible, and “Maria” proved during this tough Bourges edition that she is carved from the very best wood. For her owners, this victory may have been somewhat unexpected, but “Maria” could not resist showing her class by making all 22,975 Bourges old birds look at her tail.

“Maria’s” future will now continue in the breeding loft. Who knows what kind of sensational achievements she may still produce there.

Hilde and Luc, on behalf of the entire Herbots team, congratulations once again on this 10th victory.

Stefan Mertens

"Maria"
B23-3030865
1st National Bourges 22,975 old birds

Distance: 449km
Velocity 1,390.77 m/m

Stefan Mertens