Vanthourenhout to join Nys in Landbouwkrediet cyclo-cross team

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The Landbouwkrediet cyclo-cross team of Sven Nys will be expanded to include Sven Vanthourenhout as well as incorporate the amateur KDL-Trans squad for juniors and under-23 riders, the team announced today.

Nys extended his contract through 2014, and will act as a mentor for the young riders, imparting his wealth of knowledge of cyclo-cross to the sport's up and coming talents.

Vincent Baestaens, the former Belgian u23 champion and winner of two World Cups this season, is expected to transition to the elite Landbouwkrediet team from KDL-Trans for the 2011-2012 season, while Vanthourenhout and one more elite rider will fill out the team.

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The KDL-Trans team will include the UCI's number one junior rider, Laurens Sweeck, along with his two brothers Diether and Hendrick.

Luc Versele, Landbouwkrediet CEO, said that the team extended its contract with Nys in December, but that it was only a small part of the larger cyclo-cross project which Nys will help develop.

"Sven will share his invaluable experience and knowledge with the espoirs and juniors, and will seek to develop young talents. Toward this, we have an ideal partner in the KDL Trans team, which in recent years has had an outstanding juniors programme, and in Jan Verstraeten a driven and ambitious team manager."

For Nys, having a team will be a novel concept, as he has been mostly a lone wolf since leaving Rabobank in 2008. "This is indeed a new challenge," said Nys. "Until now I have had no real team around me.

"I'm glad I can contribute to the development of young riders on this group, but I must warn them: I have always set the bar for myself very high."

The team will have its formal presentation in May.