Belgian cyclist Gijs Van Hoecke signed a two-year deal through 2018 with Team LottoNL-Jumbo. The 24-year-old will leave behind Belgian team Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise.

"I'm already looking forward to starting with team LottoNL-Jumbo and preparing for 2017. Their way of racing suits me so I'm glad I'm going to ride for this WorldTour team,” Van Hoecke said. He is not the first Belgian to make the transition from the Belgian team to the Dutch WorldTour team. "I heard good things from the riders who made the same step. The team works on small details in terms of material, food and time trials. In these areas, I can certainly improve."

Young, but experienced

The team views him as young, but experienced rider. "Van Hoecke turned professional at a young age,”  Technical Director Nico Verhoeven said. “First, he combined track cycling with the road. In recent years, he focused entirely on the road. We want to take the next step with him in his career.

"This year, Van Hoecke showed that he could compete in the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. We want to use Van Hoecke in a supporting role in the classics. He can also help power the sprint train."