Banking takeover leads to name change for Belgian team
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Cyclo-cross star Sven Nys with Landbouwkrediet Euphony in Belgium(Image credit: Photopress.be)
The Landbouwkrediet team introduced prior to the race.(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
Sven Nys' Landboukrediet-Euphony team will change names at the beginning of 2013, as a consequence of the bank's takeover of another Belgian bank, Centea. The team, which will remain the same as regards riders and staff, will be named Crelan, the new name of the bank following Landbouwkrediet's takeover of Centea.
"Landbouwkrediet and Centea will be joining together next year and the unified bank will be called Crelan. The values of Landbouwkrediet will remain unchanged, as will our commitment to cyclo-cross. The name of our cycling team will also be Crelan as of 2013. The well-known logo will continue on in a modernized form," Landbouwkrediet CEO Luc Versele told La Dernière Heure.
Three riders will carry the colours of Landbouwkrediet on the cyclo-cross circuit this season: Sven Nys, Sven Vanthourenhout and Vincent Baestaens. "Our objective is that these three riders place themselves in the top ten as much as possible. With these three riders, we will have a great opportunity to make our new name - Crelan - known by the general public as of January 2013. I hope that Sven Nys will once again take a classification jersey and win another overall series," Versele added.
Although he already has the greatest palmarès in Belgian cyclo-cross to his name, once again Nys is determined to give his very best this upcoming season. But the 36-year-old also stated that he will put an end to his career after the 2013-2014 season at the latest. "In March 2014, it will irrevocably be over. That's a decision I won't reconsider, because I want to finish my career in style," Nys revealed.
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