Roompot confirm new co-title sponsor Nederlandse Loterij

Dutch Professional Continental team Roompot-Oranje Peloton announced the national lottery, Nederlandse Loterij, as their new co-title sponsor for the 2017 season, which will change the team's name to Team Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij. The team announced the name change on Friday and the official reveal took place at the Bike Motion Benelux in Ultrecht.

Those in attendance at the reveal were rider Pieter Weening, Roompot CEO Jurgen van Cutsem and Nederlandse Loterij director of corporate affairs Arjan van 't Veer. 

"Through the combination of Lottery and Lotto is a powerful new gaming organization, arised dedicated to Dutch sport and to make sport accessible to a wider audience," van 't Veer said. "At present we are working on increasing the awareness of the Dutch Lottery, and the cooperation with the team is an excellent opportunity for us. The riders of Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij know, after all, how to race well in the spotlight. We know our players appreciate that."

The team started in 2014 as Oranje Cycling and its founders Michael Zijlaard, Michael Boogerd, Erik Breukink and Jean-Paul van Poppel believe the continuation of the team, under a new co-sponsorship name and funding, will help continue to develop their program and riders.

"That's a great partner and the Nederlandse Loterij name wanting to be directly connected with our team indicates that we are on the right track," Zijlaard said. "We thus maintain the purely Dutch character that we have and, of course, remains our orange colour. Personalizing the jersey with the name of the riders on the collar was also very well received at the show."

In addition to the new team name, Roompot - Nederlandse Loterij hired former rider and commentator Michel Cornelisse as a member of the coaching staff for the next two seasons. The 51-year-old has previously worked with MTN-Qhubeka and with Vacansoleil-DCM.

"I feel good with my place in this team," Cornelisse said. "It may sound crazy, but I feel really privileged that I, together with Jean-Paul and Erik, big names in the Dutch cycling history can play a role in this fantastic project."