ROSTER UPDATES
After an incredible eight-year journey filled with countless successes, Team Sunweb and Tom Dumoulin are set to go their separate ways at the end of the 2019 season.
Joining the team as it was then Team Argos-Shimano back in 2012, a 21-year-old Dumoulin set off on his path of development as a GC rider. 2014 was his breakthrough year as a time trial specialist, with four wins that included his first national title and a bronze medal at the world championships. In 2015 Dumoulin went on to shine in red at the Vuelta a España, eventually finishing the race in a very respectable 6th place after a relentless fight. Success continued for the Dutchman into 2016 with a TT Olympic silver at the Rio games, but the focal point of his career thus far would come just one year later, as he and the team secured the overall win at the 2017 Giro d’Italia. The successes for Dumoulin continued throughout the season with a double world championship title in Bergen, as he secured the individual time trial win and was a part of the team’s TTT gold medal squad. 2018 would be the first year he and the team tackled the Giro-Tour combination, doing so to near-perfection as they secured two second places.
After a continual upward path of development over the years, the extraordinary journey will come to an end after 2019.
Dumoulin explained: “As a rider you always search for the highest achievable and you constantly ask yourself whether you are still in the right place, what is the best team for you and where the best options and opportunities are. There has always been interest from other teams, that’s normal, but the facilities here have always made me not to speak with other teams. After the disappointment of missing the Tour and finding myself sitting at home, I started to consider that a new environment could be refreshing. That’s why I decided to focus on the interest of some teams. There were great offers and this phase of my career felt like the right time to take it.
“It really does hurt to leave. My heart is here and together we have achieved great things that I’m very proud of. I’ve proven with Team Sunweb that winning a Grand Tour is possible with this team and I have no doubt that I could do it again with them. I know that the grass will not always be greener than at Team Sunweb and I want to emphasise that without them, I could never have got to where I am today. I will always remain grateful for the opportunities that I have had, and the opportunity that the team now grants me to allow me to explore my options within a new team.”
Team Sunweb CEO Iwan Spekenbrink added: “We’re really proud of everything we’ve achieved together with Tom over the years. He’s grown alongside the team into one of the world’s best riders and he is a true champion. Having enabled that development within the environment we offer our riders is something we are really proud of and will always hold on to. Our vision is to bring riders as far as possible and make the most out of them – this is what we believe we have done here.
“It’s been a difficult year for Tom with the setbacks he has experienced and it’s normal for any person at this age to take a step back and reassess their situation. Tom opened up to thoughts that a new environment could be refreshing and we decided to respect his request and cooperate to make a move possible. Tom means a lot to the organisation, and the organisation means a lot to him; we achieved a lot together. We’re of course sad to see him leave, but in the end that’s top sports, athletes go and next generation promising athletes come. However, we are choosing to look back positively and with enormous pride on our amazing years with a truly fantastic athlete, Tom Dumoulin. We are thankful for the years with Tom and wish him all the best for the future.”
