Team DSM are happy to announce that Robbe Dhondt, Frank Ragilo, Max van der Meulen and Vlad van Mechelen will join their Development program as of next season, with all four riders set to wear the distinctive two-striped jersey until the end of 2024.
A consistent opening to his first year in the juniors saw Dhondt collect several top ten results in challenging Belgian one-day races such as Nokere Juniors and a second place at Balegem. He also showed promise over the climbs too by winning the youth jersey at the challenging Valromey Juniors against a strong field. 2022 started off strongly for Dhondt as he claimed the KOM jersey at Penn ar Bed Pays d’Iroise where he also took fourth place overall. Following up that form, he attacked and climbed to a superb solo win at Gipuzkoa Klasikoa on his way to a GC top ten, an overall result he replicated at the tough Pays de Vaud Juniors, before claiming a fourth place at the recent European championships road race over a tough course.
Frank Ragilo (EST)
Bursting onto the scene as a first-year junior with an impressive string of results in races in Poland and his native Estonia, where he took two wins and a further five podiums, Ragilo continued that great form with strong results in Belgium; including a second place at Menen – Menen Juniors. Coming into 2022, Ragilo took another step up in his development with a solid and consistent showing in the early classics that included an 11th place at Paris-Roubaix and fifth at E3. Adept against the clock, he powered his way to the Estonian time trial title, alongside a win in his home nation and the Belgian one-day race Hingene – Bornem. Rounding out a brilliant June and July period, he was dominant at the Oberösterreich Juniors taking a stage win on his way to winning the points and overall classifications before an incredibly consistent fourth place on GC at Watersley Junior Challenge.
Max van der Meulen (NED)
Talented young Dutchman Van der Meulen has had a successful two years as a junior rider, immediately making a bang by taking the Nokere Jr 1 crown in his first race. Following that, he claimed a win at Horrues while also picking up two second places in other Belgium one-day races alongside a second on GC at St. Martinusprijs Juniors in 2021. This year saw him move to the Willebrord Wil Vooruit Juniors team and pick up some solid results before taking a strong fifth on GC at the tough Pays de Vaud Juniors. However, his ‘breakthrough’ ride for many was an incredible solo effort over the climbs at Classique Alpes Juniors where he won by almost three minutes. His brilliant summer form has continued with two stage wins and the overall title at Medzinárodné Dubnica nad Váhom, before another impressive solo raid at Watersley Junior Challenge on the final stage which saw him claim the GC crown too; and a recent final day win at Aubel Stavelot Juniors where he took second overall.
Vlad Van Mechelen (BEL)
An incredibly impressive debut junior campaign saw Van Mechelen take three wins throughout the year with a stage win at the Jurassic Route Włodowice Juniors alongside the one-day races of Glabbeek and Bierbeek-Bremt. Alongside those successes, Van Mechelen rode strongly in support of his teammates while also picking a further 19 top tens, that included fourth at the European road race and the same result at Paris-Roubaix juniors. This year has seen Van Mechelen pick up where he left off with a stage win at Manavgat Side Juniors finishing second overall behind his teammate. A win at Guido Reybrouck Juniors followed before a stage win at Trophée Morbihan and the one-day race of GP Clément Dumont. Van Mechelen’s 2022 season has been very consistent and highlights his ability to perform over a variety of terrain and out of 34 race days this year, he has taken a brilliant 29 top 15 results.
