Tom-Jelte Slagter, the newly crowned Dutch Under 23 national champion, will move up from the Rabobank Continental team to the ProTour team next season. The team also announced that it has extended its contracts with Steven Kruijswijk and Maarten Tjallingii.
Slagter, 20, only joined the continental team this season. The climbing specialist said that he was very happy with the prospect of moving up. “I hope to keep on learning,” he said. “My education will continue, but now at higher levels.”
This season he has won a stage at the Circuit des Ardennes, finished seventh in the Espoirs Liège-Bastogne-Liège and was eleventh overall in the Circuito Montanes.
The ProTour team also extended its contracts with Kruijswijk and Tjallingii through 2011. Kruijswijk, 23, rode for the continental team for three years before joining the ProTour team this year. He made an impressive Grand Tour debut by finishing 18th overall in the recent Giro d'Italia.
Tjallingiil, 32, turned pro in 2003 and joined Rabobank in 2009.
“With Kruijswijk and Slagter, we have two boys who fit perfectly into our vision,” said team technical director Erik Breukink. "They are young and talented. Steven has made a very big step and Slagter has also surprised us.
“Tjallingii has already become one of the strong pillars within the team. A real team player who brings the necessary balance in the team."
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