The Cyclocross team BKCP-Corendon starts into the new season with an international team and high ambitions. Yesterday in Antwerp, riders, friends and sponsors of the Belgian team which have been riding STEVENS Super Prestige since January 2015, were officially presented.
Also the German Cross Champion of 2014, Philipp Walsleben, the Czech Champion Adam Toupalik and his compatriot Michael Boros belong to the team around the Elite World Champion Mathieu van der Poel and his brother David (NED). Also the Belgians Vincent Baestaens, Stijn Caluwé, Daan Hoeyberghs and Wietse Bosmans will ride for the team. The latter won the first two races of the international season in China for the team.
‟We want to score 15 victories this season“, team manager Christoph Roodhooft set the goal. Mathieu van der Poel follows the ambition to ‟ride a consistent season as World Champion and to worthily represent the rainbow jersey.“ Asked who will become World Champion 2016 in Zolder, van der Poel answered: ‟I hope I will. But I don’t take it for granted.“
The German Champion of 2014, Philipp Walsleben, said he was very happy to ride for the team and that he ‟had a good summer (editor’s note: Walsleben won, among others, the jersey of the most aggressive rider at the Tour of Belgium), I frequently attacked, also in order to protect myself from falling. These were some quite good training sessions after all.“
Enertherm-BKCP supports young talents
Also the young talents of junior team Enertherm-BKCP introduced themselves in the – despite 100 guests – relaxed atmosphere on the Ark, a restaurant boat in the harbour of Antwerp, directly at the Schelde. Vice World Champion Sanne Cant, despite being no „young talent“, will ride for this team.
Sanne Cant had a very successful 2014/15 season with 26 victories, at the World Championship in Tabor she „only“ scored second place, however. Her main goal being therefore to ‟win the rainbow jersey. And I will do everything to make this happen in 2016.“
Enertherm-BKCP team manager Marc Dierickx said about his young riders: „The boys presented themselves perfectly on the road with some victories and some podiums. They’ve all grown a year older and stronger.“ He is confident with regard to the new season. The team consist of junior and U23 riders. One oft he new riders is, among others, Stefano Museeuw, son of Johan Museeuw – World Champion and multiple winner of Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders.
After the official presentation the riders answered the journalists‘ questions. ‟It was a great presentation in a very nice location“, summarizes Wolfgang von Hacht, managing director of STEVENS Vertriebs GmbH. ‟The team with its management, its coaches, physios and friends are like a big family. They live cycling.“ As it turned out, being a big family also means that the young Czech riders are tought Flemish.
BKCP-Corendon will race in Kessel-Fort, Wiekevorst and Las Vegas. In the United States Mathieu van der Poel, Philipp Walsleben, Michael Boros, Adam Toupalik and Vincent Baestaens will race for the team.
