Dutch sprinter to hone his road skills with Swiss team
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Theo Bos (Rabobank Continental) wins the Ronde van Nord-Holland.(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Theo Bos (Rabobank Continental) (Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Theo Bos will ride for Cervélo TestTeam through 2011, the Swiss Professional Continental team announced Friday. He is leaving the Rabobank development team after only one year.
The 26-year-old made his name in track cycling, winning a silver medal at the 2004 Athens Olympics and with five World titles to his credit. He is the most successful Dutch track cyclist of all time, but this season has concentrated on road cycling.
“Theo Bos is an interesting rider and an important person for our team,” said Cervélo team manager Thomas Campana. “We will help Theo take his award-winning track prowess and hone those skills for the road.
“Our goal was to find another sprinter and in Theo we have found the right rider. As we’ve gotten to know Theo we’ve realised that the mentality of the team and Theo’s are very closely aligned. He likes the way we think and where we want to go.”
The Dutch rider praised the team's “strong base” of such riders as Carlos Sastre, Thor Hushovd and Heinrich Haussler. “They have presented me with a plan where I can develop myself to the level I want to achieve. In the shadow of the big stars on this team they want to build a team around me for the sprints in the Grand Tours.”
He continued, “It is great for me, that a team like Cervélo TestTeam has the faith in me and wants to invest in. And it is now up to me to make it happen and to improve myself, step by step.”
Bos had a successful early season on the road in 2009, taking wins in the Ronde van Nord-Holland and the Omloop der Kempen. He won three stages and the prologue of the Olympia's Tour.
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However, he also made headlines during the final stage of the Tour of Turkey in April, when he caused race leader Daryl Impey of Barloworld to crash in the finale. Impey was seriously injured and only returned to racing this month. The International Cycling Union suspended Bos for one month for that incident, with the ban ending September 14. Bos has not raced since the middle of June.
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