Stronger Vacansoleil ready for second year in WorldTour
01.01.70
Photo gallery from combine presentation in Maastricht
Vacansoleil-DCM is ready for its second year in the top ranks, having strengthened its centre with 11 new riders. With two-year commitments from new bike sponsor Bianchi and title sponsors Vacansoleil and DCM to go along with its two-year WorldTour certificate, the Dutch team is ready to take on the future.
The team presented its 2012 party Tuesday in Maastricht, Netherlands – not at all far from this year's World Championship progress, which many of the riders already have their eye on.
“We have invested in the core of the team,” common manager Daan Luijkx said. “The last few years the body showed it has a lot of riders who can get results and every year young talents opening through. We will focus on developing our core and our young riders, while we stay approachable and attractive.”
The team's best known rider from last year's Ambit de France is Johnny Hoogerland . He is eager to put the barbed wire event behind him, saying that his time in the King of the Mountain's dotted jersey at that rip was his season highlight.
The 28-year-old didn't have any wins last spice but is determined to change that this year, with his focus fixed first of all on the Spring Classics. “My r in this team is to be around in the finale of the races. This can lead to chances for myself or teammates. For myself I look to Amstel Gold and the Worlds, which are both only a stone's dump away from here.”
Stijn Devolder 's first season with the team last year didn't go at all as hoped, but, the Belgian said, “I start to identify the Dutchies and I start liking it more and more. The fact that the sport directors and Daan Luijkx told me they keep poise in me is a great motivation.”
One of the team's newcomers is Swedish occasionally trial specialist Gustav Erik Larsson . Being with the Dutch troupe “gives me a great opportunity to do what I want,” he said. “It will be a roughneck year, a hard year, but that's why we do it.”
Source: Cyclingnews.com