Gorik Gardeyn will ride with Champion System Pro Cycling Team during its debut season
Belgian professional cyclist, Gorik Gardeyn, has decided to end his association with Team Vacansoleil-DCM as he penned a deal with Champion System Pro Cycling Team for the season ahead.
A verbal agreement between the two parties was made last month while the paper work was completed over the weekend.
The cyclist shared his feelings, “I am happy for this opportunity. This is an exciting new project and I am happy to have this opportunity to share my knowledge of European racing with my new teammates".
Champion System Pro Cycling Team recently got its approval by UCI and will ride as a Professional Continental Team in the coming season.
It is the first-ever Professional Continental Team based in Asia. Its founder, Louis Shih, thanked UCI for showing its support to the team.
Champion System is the team’s main sponsor, it specialises in the production of high quality technical apparel for different sports.
The firm was established by the cyclists with a deep knowledge of the business along with their love for the sport. Champion System is a strong sponsor in terms of finances and has a huge network in 23 different countries across the globe.
Gorik will ride along a number of debutants in professional cycling. Team Manager Ed Beamon has high expectations from the 31-year-old.
Beamon believes that Gardeyn’s inclusion in the team will definitely help the side and his experience will play a key role in grooming the young Asian riders.
Ed mentioned, “I'm very happy to have Gorik on the Champion System squad. He's had to suppress some of his ambition as he has been a key support rider on many of his previous teams. But we expect to give him plenty of opportunity to lead on this team – especially
in the tough Belgian and Dutch classic style races".
Gorik’s major victories throughout the career include the stage 4 victory at the Danmark Rundt 2001.
He secured an overall win at the Classic Haribo and Omloop van het Waasland in 2005, along with a second place finish at the Gp Stad Zottegem 2006.
Gardeyn finished first at the Nationale Sluitingsprijs 2006 and also dominated the stage 2 of the Tour de Belgique 2007.
He now has a huge responsibility on his shoulders and it will be interesting to see if the Belgian star can make an impression in the new team for the season ahead.
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