Servais Knaven, Nicolas Portal hired by Team Sky
Team Sky has announced the hiring of former cyclists Servais Knaven and Nicolas Portal as sporting directors for the 2011 season. Both first time DR’s (directeur sportifs) retired from competition this season, Knaven having ended
his long season earlier this year and Portal stepping off the bike at the young age of 31 due to serious health problems.
"I am really happy to have this opportunity and am really looking forward to it," said Knaven on the team's website. "I'd been thinking about becoming a DS more and more over the last few seasons and during the final two months of my contract with Milram
they were good enough to let me learn the ropes with them."
Knaven has been competing on the road for 17 years, most recently with team Milram, and is one of only two cyclists to have competed in the Paris-Roubaix 16 times. A Classics specialist, the rider won that race, the ‘h**l of the North,’ in 2001.
"To join a new team like this one now is just amazing. Not only are Team Sky giving young riders a chance, they are also giving young directors a chance as well, and there is absolutely nowhere else I'd rather be."
Portal has spent the last ten years as a loyal domestic, a sidekick to several top performers throughout the decade. He joined Team Sky at the beginning of this season by racing a thin, 47-day program while his health problems slowly
made it apparent to the 31-year-old that his competition days were over.
"Having to call time on my racing career was obviously a difficult one, but the birth of my first child last year changed my outlook a lot and taking this decision now means my heart condition is never going to worsen and I'll always be able to lead a normal
life."
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