Launch of the Development team in 2023
On 1st of January 2023, Intermarché-Circus-Wanty launched a new UCI Continental Development Team under the direction of recently retired rider and new sports director Kévin Van Melsen, under the name Circus – ReUz – Technord.
“This position at the head of Circus-ReUz-Technord is particularly close to my heart. I want to transmit my experience to the youth generation, giving them all the opportunities they need to turn pro. We want to develop step by step, just like the World Team. The message I want to share today is that everyone will get their chance. My career proves that it is not only about results, but also about your way of thinking.”
This new team, registered on the UCI Continental level, offers a national and international programme to fifteen young Walloon, Belgian and international talents. The project also opens doors to a programme on a professional level, by integrating promising riders in the World Team.
“I’m proud that our structure could revitalize our projects for the youth from 2023 with this new UCI Continental Development Team, which makes me think of the first years of our history. It was from a local youth club, named VC Ath, that we built the structure we have today with a World Team and a cyclocross team. Kévin Van Melsen was with no doubt the best person to lead this project, because he rode for fourteen years for our team and is a family member of Yves Lessens, one of the pioneers of the VC Ath. In 2021 we became the first Walloon team in the World Tour. In the cycling world we are considered one of the fixed values. That’s why it is important for us to support youth clubs. When we were still a small club, we also would have appreciated the support of a big team… Our next goal is to get as many kids as possible on a bike. And it is our ambition to keep winning races at the highest level with our World Team.”
Circus-ReUz-Technord made a blistering start, winning its first races and triumphing in Liège-Bastogne-Liège U23 with Francesco Busatto, the first rider to make the step up from the Development team to Intermarché-Circus-Wanty.
The young guns performed on all terrains, from the sprint to the high mountains, and even often contributed to the success of Intermarché-Circus-Wanty as they regularly received the opportunity to race with the World Team. Cherry on the cake, Francesco Busatto, Alexy Faure-Prost and Aklilu Arefayne respectively became national champions of Italy (road race), France (road race) and Eritrea (time trial) in the U23 category.
With Faure-Prost and Roel van Sintmaartensdijk following the same development path as Busatto to Intermarché-Circus-Wanty and four more riders signing with a Pro Continental team, seven riders of Circus-ReUz-Technord signed their first professional contract during the development team’s first year of existence.
