NXTG add AG Insurance as title sponsor, join forces with QuickStep-AlphaVinyl

Dutch women's team NXTG by Experza have added AG Insurance as title sponsor, and joined forces with the men's QuickStep-AlphaVinyl squad, as Patrick Lefevere confirmed his promise to help develop women's cycling.

The Belgian insurance company comes on board with a deal until 2025, with the team to be known as AG Insurance -NXTG going forward.

The team hopes to secure WorldTour status in 2023 as part of a wider structure of teams around the men's QuickStep WorldTour squad, with strategic support from Lefevere.

"We will join forces with the QuickStep-AlphaVinyl Wolfpack with big ambitions for the years to come," the team announced on social media following the sponsorship announcement.

AG Insurance-NXTG are set to make their debut in their new guise at Thursday's Women's WorldTour race, the Classic Brugge-De Panne. On Tuesday, team manager and founder Natascha den Ouden said that the team is continuing to grow with AG Insurance and QuickStep-AlphaVinyl involved.

"When we turned into an elite women's team in 2019 after the U19 year, we continued to build on that basis. When you build a house, you don't start with a roof but with the foundations," she said. 

"We aim to provide young female riders with a professional set-up where they can realise their dreams of being a professional cyclist.

"This dream started in 2019 with our first ever elite race at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and continues to grow every day and from tomorrow with AG Insurance and Quick-Step Alpha Vinyl by our side.

"Our philosophy is to work on the development of the next generation, the foundations, in women's cycling. We are firmly committed to creating a successful and sustainable sport with the solid support of AG Insurance."

Lefevere said in December that he was planning to build a men's Continental team below the WorldTour squad, but also noted that the women's team was his priority. 

Back then, he contrasted the team's progress with UAE Team Emirates buying Alé-BTC-Ljubljana, saying that, "What we are doing now – growing to the WorldTour with promising riders – I think is a much nicer and healthier concept."

At the team press event on Tuesday, Lefevere said: "As I have discussed when we first got involved with the NXTG team, we were looking to work with a women's team, to help from the ground up and build real foundations, and the project of Natascha is the perfect fit.

"During my time in cycling, we have a track record of working with young riders and helping them to develop. We will apply the same philosophy with this team, giving young, talented riders a clear and sustainable progression path under the spirit, the culture and philosophy that leads the day-by-day operations of the Wolfpack.

"It is a unique project within women's cycling, and we are very happy that AG Insurance shares our vision and we look forward to seeing our athletes and the team progress."

AG Insurance-NXTG was founded in 2019 as Rogelli-Gyproc and has so far been focused on developing young riders aged from 18 to 23. 

Ex-SD Worx rider Jolien D'Hoore joined as directeur sportif this season, while riders Charlotte Kool and Shari Bossuyt progressed up to the Women's WorldTour, signing with Team DSM and Canyon-Sram.

Upcoming races for the team include Women's WorldTour events Gent-Wevelgem and the Amstel Gold Race, while the squad will also make their Tour of Flanders debut on April 3.