Team CykelCity took the top team award. (Image credit: Todd Leister/www.leisterimages.com)
Team CykelCity.se will be the first Swedish team ever to start in the Three Days of West Vlaanderen. The Continental-ranked team said that it has received an invitation to the Belgian race, to be held March 2-4.
“This is an historic start for both the team and the Swedish cycling,” said Aike Visbeek, the team's sports director.
“More and more organizers of the big races want to see us at the starting line,” said Visbeek. “They have seen our aggressive cycling during the races in Belgium, Holland and France this year, and the fact that we have super talents like [Jonas] Ahlstrand, [Philip] Lindau and [Jesper] Dahlstrom gives us a place. This is really good for our riders to not just get better and get more experience, they may also show off in front of the big players on the continent.”
According to team manager Johan Ottosson, “Our team should be more professional in all aspects. That we start in the big races such as this is important, especially for our international sponsors Shimano, Cervelo, Craft and Morgan Blue. This is a great success for our entire organization and will help the whole team to evolve further,.”
The three-day race includes a time trial and three road stages. “Most stages are determined in sprints, so to be involved in Driedaagse van West Vlaanderen is incredibly motivating for me,” said the team's sprinter, Jonas Ahlstrand. “This sort of news is exactly what you need when you sit on the bike in the winter!”
The team is expected to consist of 11 or 12 riders next year, all Swedish.
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