Hoelgaard signs for FDJ, 17 teams for Tour of Rwanda
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Jelle Wallays (Topsport Vlaanderen) wins Paris-Tours(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Daniel Hoelgaard (Etixx)(Image credit: Ruta del Sol a Sol/http://www.rutadesolasol.es)
Team Rwanda stand on the podium of the 2012 Amissa Bongo Cycling Race
Adrien Niyonshuti (Team Rwanda Karisimbi) was the best Rwandian rider, standing with Jock Boyer(Image credit: Sonoko Tanaka)
Marcato's trophy for winning Paris-Tours(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
The organisers of Paris-Tours have announced the 23-teams for the October 11 1.HC race with ten WorldTour teams taking place. Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise, the winning tea last year via Jelle Wallays is one of nine Pro-Continental teams announced by ASO for the late season classic.
Wallays outfoxed Thomas Voeckler (Europcar) to claim victory at the 2014 edition of the race four years after winning the U23 version of the race. The 26-year-old claimed the biggest win of his career so far in March this year as he took out Dwars door Vlaanderen but is yet to commit to a 2016 contract.
Giant-Alpecin, the team of 2013 champion John Degenkolb, and Wanty - Groupe Gobert, with 2012's winner Marco Mercato, have also been named for the race. France will be represented by WorldTour teams Ag2r-La Mondiale and FDJ along with several Pro-Continental and Continental squads.
2015 Paris-Tour teams
WorldTour: AG2R La Mondiale, BMC Racing Team, Etixx - Quick Step, FDJ, Lotto Soudal, IAM Cycling, Team Giant - Alpecin, Team Lotto-NL Jumbo, Tinkoff - Saxo, Trek Factory Racing; Pro-Continental: Bora-Argon 18, Bretagne-Séché Environnement, Cofidis, Solutions Crédits, MTN - Qhubeka, Roompot Oranje Peloton, Team Europcar, Team Novo Nordisk, Topsport Vlaanderen - Baloise, Wanty - Groupe Gobert; Continental: Auber 93, Equipe Cycliste de l'Armée de Terre, Roubaix Lille Métropole, Team Marseille 13 KTM.
The 2014 Paris-Tour podium (TDW Sport)
Hoelgaard joins FDJ on two-year deal
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Daniel Hoelgaard has become the third rider from Team Joker to join the WorldTour ranks following as he joins teammate Odd Christian Eiking in joining FDJ in 2016 while Vegard Stake Laengen has been confirmed as a signing for IAM Cycling.
Hoelgaard for the Etixx-Quick Step feeder team in 2014 and made the switch to Team Joker for 2015. The 22-year-old enjoyed stage wins at the 2.2 Tour de Normandie and Tour de Bretagne Cycliste stage races and most recently rode the Tour de l'Avenir with the Norwegian national team where he registered two top-ten finishes.
The signing of Hoelgaard on a two-year deal follows the acquisitions of Jérémy Maison (neo), Sébastien Reichenbach (IAM Cycling), Ignatas Konovalovas (Team Marseille 13 KTM) and Christian Eiking so far this transfer window for the French team.
2015 Tour of Rwanda teams
The organisers of the Tour of Rwanda have announced 17 teams will take part in the seventh edition of the 2.2 race of which the majority will be African national squads. Previous winners of the race include Daniel Teklehaymanot and Adrien Niyonshuti who ride the MTN-Qhubeka squad and UnitedHealthcare's Kiel Reijnen.
The 2014 edition of the race was won by Valens Ndayisenga who made made history as the first Rwandian winner of the race in the process. The 21-year-old then went on to represent Rwanda at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in the time trial.
Along with the 11 African teams invited the race, there will be American representation via Pro-Continental outfit Novo Nordsk, along with Team Scody Downunder from Australia and four European squads. They are Team Haute-Savoie Rhône-Alpes (France), Team Bike Aid (Germany), Global Cycling Team (Netherlands) and Team Loup Sport (Switzerland).
There will be three Rwandan teams in the race, Team Rwanda Karisimbi, Team Rwanda Akagera and Team Rwanda Muhabura.
Rounding out the start list are national teams from South Africa, Kenya, Ethiopia, Eritrea, Egypt, Morocco, Algeria and Gabon.
The race starts on November 15 with a short time trial in Kigali and finishes in the same location on November 22.
