Wouter Wippert signs for Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij
Dutchman inks one-year deal
Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij has confirmed the arrival of Dutch fast man Wouter Wippert for 2018. The 27-year-old spent two seasons with the WorldTour Cannondale-Drapac team and recently won two stages of the Tour of Alberta.
Wippert is the third new signing for the Dutch Pro Continental Roompot-Nederlandse Loterij team following the acquisitions of Jan-Willem Van Schip (Delta Cycling), Hartthijs de Vries (SEG Racing Academy). The team confirmed that he signed a one-year deal.
"A fast rider with high-level experience, which will certainly be a boost. I see Wouter a bit like a missing link for our team," team manager Jean-Paul van Poppel said. "A finisher who has grown in the last seasons as a rider. He survives much better in courses with climbs and can then sprint for victory. He is an acquisition we are very happy with it."
The last non-Australian to win a stage of the Tour Down Under, Wippert's professional wins have all come outside of Europe but with Roompot balancing a race calendar of WorldTour and second-tier races, he is hopeful of again becoming a regular winner.
"Next season I would like to win more wins, so my choice of Roompot - Dutch Lottery is very conscious," he said. "The versatile race program they ride offers many opportunities to me. The diversity with both WorldTour and smaller races will hopefully provide perfect opportunities to take the next step in my career. The positive words and belief that Van Poppel and team manager Michael Zijlaard have in me gives me much confidence. I think we will have a strong team next year that can fight for victory in more races."
In 2017, Wippert has also finished top-10 at the Veenendaal Veenendaal Classic, RideLondon, and the Dutch national championships. The Tour of Guangxi in October will be his final race in the green argyle of Cannondale-Drapac.
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