Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux will launch its development project from the 1st of January 2023 under the direction of Kévin Van Melsen. The Belgian historical rider of the team since 2009 will end his career as a professional rider in the autumn of 2022 to become Sports Director in the new development team of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux.
The structure Continuum Sports Belgium, overarching already the teams UCI World Team Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux and UCI Cyclo Cross Team Tormans, is concerned about the development of young riders and will integrate a UCI Continental Team in its pyramid from the 1st of January 2023. This development programme will make it possible for around fifteen riders to benefit from the professionalism and experience of the structure and the Performance division of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux and to become its talent pool.
« We’re sensible to the development of young riders, because I don’t forget that our team, when I took it over in 2001, was only a local amateur club. The VC Ath enabled young riders of our region to do their passion. Our structure evolved, but our formative DNA didn’t disappear. We already distributed an envelope of 15000 euros to support the walloon development clubs through a call for projects last autumn and we want to continue doing this in the future to reinforce the base of the pyramid. So it was an evidence to complete our project by a UCI Continental Team in order to form young riders and to bring them to the highest level. I’m pleased with the support of our historical and technical partners who accompany us in this project. » « I’m very happy that Kévin accepted to take on the role of sports director in this project. He’s a historical element, climbing up the ladder together with our project. Our road captain has always been attentive to the needs of the young riders who joined our World Tour structure, so I’m convinced that he’ll be the perfect coach to guide the riders of our Continental team. »
This new team will be registered as a UCI Continental Team and will offer a national and international programme to around fifteen young Walloon, Belgian and international talents. It will also open doors to a large programme on the professional level, by integrating the professional core into the the one of the development in certain races with the goal to detect the talents who will make Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux shine in the future.
« I’m very happy and honored to be a part of this project. After a career of twelve years as a professional rider I can give my experience to younger ones, which will be an enriching experience for me. We’re determined to bring the best out of the qualities of our future riders by giving them the opportunity to perform with the best possible equipment and by offering each of them an adapted annual plan. In this way, we want to prepare our riders to make a step in their career, hoping that they will become a part of the World Team on the long term. »
