Wild to join Wiggle-High5 for 2018

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Dutch sprinter Kirsten Wild will race in the black and orange of Wiggle-High5 in 2018, the team confirmed. Wild spent the past season racing for the American Cylance team but leaves after just one year.

The signing of Wild helps to fill a large gap left by sprinter Jolien D’hoore, who will join Orica-Scott next season.

“I am really looking forward to being part of one of the biggest and successful teams in women’s cycling,” Wild said of her move.

“I hope to play for the wins, especially in the WorldTour races, together with the team. To be working with riders who already achieved a lot of results in the past is awesome. I hope to learn a lot from the other girls. I also think with this team we can play for victories in a lot of different races with different riders and that’s the game I like the most.

“As I said before the girls in this team achieved already so much. I think it’s nice to share their experiences. We all have different ways to deal with pressure, for example. That might be very interesting.”

Long considered one of the best sprinters in the women’s peloton, Wild has a string of big victories on her palmarès including stage wins at the Giro Rosa, four overall wins at the Ladies Tour of Qatar and victory at the Tour de Yorkshire and RideLondon Classique in 2016. This season has been leaner for the Dutchwoman with just four wins on the road at the Boels Rentals Ladies Tour, Chongming Island and the Santos Women’s Tour.

Wild, like several of her soon-to-be teammates, splits her time between the track and the road. She enjoyed a solid World Championships at the start of the year with silver in the Omnium and third in the points race. The recent European Championships in Berlin saw her leave with a medal of each colour. She won the Elimination Race, claimed silver in the Omnium behind Katie Archibald and took bronze in the Madison with Amy Pieters.

“Wild brings the perfect balance back into the team for 2018,” said team manager Rochelle Gilmore. “Wiggle-High5 has an overwhelmingly strong and exciting diverse line-up of athletes. We - all staff and athletes - feel we’re now up to the challenge of creating an amazing team of our outstanding individuals. This is our challenge – together.

“Wiggle-High5 will support Kirsten’s ambitions on the track throughout 2018 while targeting some very important WorldTour road races. It’s a real honour for all our athletes, staff and partners to have Kirsten Wild choose Wiggle-High5 to support her career goals in 2018.”