With the cyclo-cross season looming and the U23 World Champion in their ranks, Team Sunweb previews Joris Nieuwenhuis’ (NED) race program for the 2017-2018 season.
The 21-year-old Dutchman, a rider of the team’s Development Program, recently extended his contract with Team Sunweb for three more years, making the step up to the WorldTour in 2019. Team Sunweb takes up the challenge of developing Nieuwenhuis in both cyclo-cross and road racing disciplines, and will therefore have a balanced race program to suit both. In 2018, the U23 World Champion will race at both U23 and elite levels.
Speaking about the upcoming cyclo-cross season, Nieuwenhuis said: “For this year I have two goals, the first is racing in the elite category, which will be a new experience for me. I hope to learn a lot from the more experienced guys, the style of racing and by the end of the season to have made significant progress. The second of which is pretty clear; the U23 world championships where I will try to defend my jersey. With the other U23 races I hope I can take some more nice results and continue the momentum from last year.”
Team Sunweb coach Herman Snoeijink (NED) said: “This season our main focus is to connect to the elite level of racing. We have chosen a combination of elite and U23 races so that we can combine development with results. Joris will challenge the championships and World Cup races at U23 level and we will aim for podium results. In the Superprestige series Joris will race in the elite category to focus on closing the gap and developing his skills whilst racing at a higher level. Our goals for the season are the Superprestige series, as well as the national and world championships, and we have planned an intricate plan containing both training and racing periods to ensure that he is in top shape to chase our goals.”
October
1st: Superprestige Gieten
15th: Superprestige Zonhoven
21st: Superprestige Boom
22nd: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Koksijde
29th: Superprestige Ruddervoorde
November
12th: Superprestige Gavere
19th: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Bogense
25th: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Zeven
December
17th: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Namur
26th: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Zolder
30th: Superprestige Diegem
January
13th-14th: Dutch National Cyclo-cross championships
21st: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Nommay
29th: UCI Cyclo-cross World Cup Hoogerheide
February
3rd: World Cyclo-cross championships Valkenburg
11th: Superprestige Hoogstraten
17th: Superprestige Middelkerke
