Elijzen to be sports director for Omega Pharma-Lotto

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Michiel Elijzen is the next one to make the change from the bike to the team car. The Omega Pharma-Lotto rider will become a sports director at the team in 2011.

Elijzen is retiring from riding at the age of 28, after only five years as a pro. The Netherlander moved up through the junior ranks at Rabobank, before signing with Cofidis in 2006. He then rode for Rabobank in 2008 before joining Lotto in 2009.

He has two wins in his career, one is the prologue of the Eneco tour and the others is the Duo Normand, with Bradley Wiggins, both in 2007. He also finished second and third in the Dutch national time trial championship.

Sports manager Marc Sergeant will have six sport directors in the coming year: Herman Frison, Dirk De Wolf, Marc Wauters, Roberto Damiani, Jean-Pierre Heynderickx and now Michiel Elijzen.