Vanmarcke and Langeveld extend contracts with EF Education First-Drapac

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Sep Vanmarcke and Sebastian Langeveld have both extended their contracts with EF Education First-Drapac. The Classic riders have penned two-year deals with Jonathan Vaughters' team with the announcement made at the squad's pre-Tour of Flanders press conference. The news means that Vanmarcke and Langeveld will ride for the American team for the 2019 and 2020 seasons.

Vanmarcke is riding on the team for the second time after spending three years with them between 2010 and 2012. He moved to Belkin in 2013 but returned to the Slipstream organisation for the start of the 2017 season. The 29-year-old will lead the line at the Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix. He recently finished third In Dwars door Vlaanderen.

"I feel good in this team. I was really happy to come back in 2017. When the team was in trouble at the end of last season, other teams showed they were interested in hiring me, but I waited because I really was hoping our team would get a new sponsor and could continue. I was so happy when it happened. I gave the team my trust. Now, the team gave me their trust by giving me a new contract until 2020. That gives me a lot of motivation," Vanmarcke said in a team press release.

"I believe I'm still making steps forward. Since I turned professional, JV believed in me, and that is really important. The whole team believes in me, and they give me a lot of support. The team has a clear focus on the classics, trying to find the best materials and building a good group of riders."

Langeveld, 33, moved to the team in 2014 and has become one of their most important Classics riders, finishing third at Paris-Roubaix last year.

"I've been here since 2014, and I think it's a relationship for the long, long term. I'm really happy here. When JV came up with the idea to extend my contract for another two years, I was like, "Yes, absolutely," And we figured it out. This whole team is like a family for me. I'm grateful. I'm happy. I'm so glad to be part of the process for the next couple of years," said Langeveld.

Vaughters added: "This is the start of a process where, for the first time since 2012, I've been able to start building a team not chasing a sponsorship one year to the next. Now, we have a long runway in front of us, and we can start pulling in riders that are going to make this team a great thing over the next five, six, seven years."

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