Adriaan Helmantel, the current national coach of the Netherlands (KNWU), will reinforce the structure Intermarché-Circus-Wanty in the light of the preparations for season 2024. The 42 year old Dutchman, a former high level cyclist, will return to a World Tour structure after a long period with Team Sunweb from 2013-2018, which was crowned with success.
On the occasion of the European Championships in Drenthe next week, Adriaan Helmantel will conclude a career of five years during which he accompanied the U23 and junior men on the road, as well as the endurance riders on the track until the Olympic Games in Tokyo.
"After five nice years as national coach of the KNWU, I'm very much looking forward to this new challenge with Intermarché-Circus-Wanty. I remember from my time with Team Sunweb how much satisfaction it gave me to work closely with the athletes and to prepare for common goals as a team, on a daily basis. The structure of Intermarché-Circus-Wanty is known for its environment in which a continuous search for professionalisation and a warm atmosphere go hand in hand to enable everyone to push their limits. So I was quickly convinced to join this project after my first conversation with Aike Visbeek. With my experience, I want to contribute together with the other members to the continuous progression of the team by giving a new impetus to certain aspects. I'm convinced that sometimes small adaptations can make a big difference!"
"Our performance team shows that they can make its riders better, no matter their age. To pursue the coaching of our growing group of young talents, we wanted to attract an experimented trainer. I'm very pleased that this role will be taken on by Adriaan Helmantel. Adriaan has worked with both young talents and world class riders such as John Degenkolb, Tom Dumoulin or Marcel Kittel. He was one of the masterminds behind the team time trial world titles of the women's and men's teams of Sunweb in 2017. This season, we noticed with among others Rune Herregodts that we make progression in the events against the clock, for example thanks to the investments of our technical partners. The arrival of Adriaan fits perfectly in our ambition to pursue our development in this discipline. He will also add the expertise he acquired in the youth categories thanks to his job as national coach of the Dutch U23 and junior riders. I'm convinced that his qualities will add value to our structure."
