31 year-old Belgian Rik Verbrugghe has been confirmed to ride for French team Cofidis the next two seasons, leaving his current Quick.Step-Innergetic team after just one year. According to Quick.Step team manager Patrick Lefevre, Verbrugghe received an offer from Cofidis that he was not able to equal. "It is a great shame that we are loosing an athlete like Rik," he said. "Rik is at a great moment in his career and has received an offer from the Cofidis team that unfortunately we cannot match."
After an early season win at the GP Lugano in February, Verbrugghe went through a dry patch before returning to form earlier this month at the Eneco Tour of Benelux, where he won the prologue, finished second on Stage 4 and was sixth overall. On Saturday, he finished second to Rabobank's Denis Menchov in the opening time trial of the Vuelta a España.
