Keije Solen, the 18-year-old Dutch Junior Cyclo-cross World Silver Medalist, is joining Intermarché-Wanty. He will compete with Charles Liégeois Roastery CX in cyclo-cross this winter and with Wanty-ReUz-Technord on the road starting in 2025.
In addition to his silver medal at the Tabor World Championships, Solen achieved thirteen other podium finishes in the 2023-2024 cyclo-cross season as a second-year Junior, finishing third overall in the World Cup and becoming Dutch Champion in 2022-2023.
On the road in 2024, he grew significantly and won a stage in the Côte d’Or Classic, finishing fourth in the Dutch Championships, fifth in the GP Rüebliland, and becoming a regular member of the Dutch national team, selected for events like Eroica Juniors and the recent European Championships.
The young Dutchman will make his debut in his new colors on October 17th with Charles Liégeois Roastery CX at the Exact Cross in Essen. He strengthens the 2024-2025 team led by Bart Wellens, which includes Thijs Aerts, Julie Brouwers, Kevin Kuhn, Gerben Kuypers, and Lauren Molengraaf.
Keije Solen: “After talking with Bart Wellens, I realized that the best option for my career was to join him and Intermarché-Wanty. It seems like the perfect place where I can grow as a rider. The project to develop young talents is perfectly suits my ambitions. I can continue my progression on the road with Wanty-ReUz-Technord and combine cyclo-cross with Charles Liégeois Roastery CX. I want to demonstrate what I’m capable of and learn as much as possible with a diverse racing program, because my personal goal is to become a professional cyclist in two years. I already know my compatriots Lauren Molengraaf and Wouter Toussaint, with whom I already have ties in both teams. My ultimate dream is to one day participate in the Tour de France, who knows, maybe one day with the Intermarché-Wanty jersey.”
Bart Wellens (sports director Charles Liégeois Roastery CX): “Keije is a very promising young talent, whom we have been following since he became Dutch Champion. We quickly realized that he had extraordinary talent, which he demonstrated at the Tabor World Championships. He has also been selected with the national team on the road for prestigious competitions in the Junior category, which is a testament to a potential that he can also develop in this area. Keije is very meticulous, constantly focused on cycling and always looking to improve. It’s a temperament that I appreciate, the characteristic of a good rider. Since the creation of our cyclo-cross team, we have always been committed to developing young riders under 23, and we are happy to welcome such a talented rider to our team. He will be able to develop within our team and learn a lot from our pro riders.”
Kevin Van Melsen (Sports director Wanty-ReUz-Technord): “Keije has accumulated impressive performances over the past year. Last winter, he distinguished himself among the best cyclo-cross riders in the world in the Junior category. It is clear that he has great potential. We have noticed that riders coming from cyclo-cross tend to also excel on the road, and there are many examples of this at the highest level. Even if his experience on the road is currently limited, we can expect a promising future on the road given what he has already accomplished. Take a look at his performances in the Grand Prix Rüebliland, a stage race in Switzerland, where he distinguished himself among the best young riders and finished fifth overall. He is a new asset for Wanty-ReUz-Technord and together, we will exploit all his qualities and help him progress.”