Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux is pleased with the arrival of Mike Teunissen in the team from 2023. The 29 year old Dutchman will reinforce the line ups in the classics of the Belgian World Team after among others six years with Jumbo-Visma.
Mike Teunissen had the honor of wearing the yellow jersey in the Tour de France 2019 thanks to his sprint victory in the opening stage in Brussels. He wore the yellow kit until Binche, thanks to another resounding win in the team time trial the next day.
A couple of months before this unforgettable Grand Départ, Teunissen showed his fast legs and qualities of a classics rider by winning the Dunkirk Four Day following victories in the queen stage and the bunch sprint on the final day. He then went on to add the ZLM Tour to his palmares thanks to three podiums in the prologue, in a mini Amstel Gold Race stage and in a bunch sprint.
The U23 Cyclocross World and European champion in 2012-2013 collected good results in most of the important spring classics such as Dwars door Vlaanderen (2nd in 2018), Paris-Roubaix (11th in 2018) or Omloop het Nieuwsblad (6th in 2020).
The model teammate often contributed to the success of his leaders the last couple of years. For example, this spring he finished twelfth in the E3 Classic alongside Van Aert and Laporte. A couple of days ago he finished fourth in the opening stage of the Tour de Pologne after an exemplary lead out for Olav Kooij.
In the next two seasons, Mike Teunissen will combine his personal ambitions in one day races and short stage races with a role alongside Biniam Girmay.
« Just like the rest of the world, I noticed the continuous progression of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux. When the management of the team showed great confidence in my capabilities, I didn’t have to weigh my options for my future any time longer. The complete package is appealing. The structure and management is good and I was offered an attractive role for the spring classics. I want to shine in the finals and create opportunities for the team in the shadow of Biniam Girmay, who has already proven that he can win the most important races. Next to the classics, I’m also looking forward to support Girmay in the sprint. » « My transfer to Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux will be special, because I’m leaving a Dutch environment for the first time. Within Jumbo-Visma I raced alongside guys like Wout Van Aert and Dylan Groenewegen, witnessing how the team grew to one of the world’s best structures. This experience will probably be valuable in my new team Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux. However, the main change for me is that I will get the opportunity again to show my value in a prominent role. » « My most recent victories are my Tour de France stage wins. Wearing the yellow jersey in Brussels and in Binche was an absolute high in my career and I can’t wait to experience similar moments again. I’m convinced that I can make steps in my new environment, for example by learning from my future teammates. I can’t wait to meet everyone. In the peloton it is widely known in the peloton that the good atmosphere is an asset of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux, so I’m confident that I’ll feel at home quickly! »
Mike Teunissen Tweet
« I’m very happy with the addition of Mike Teunissen to our team. His choice for our team confirms our ambition for the classics and what we showed with Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux this season. Mike will add a lot of quality to our rosters, creating more tactical possibilities in the finals. He is a nice guy to work with and will definitely form a good combination with Biniam Girmay and Adrien Petit in our team for the classics. Since his U23 victories in Paris-Roubaix and Paris-Tours he continued showing that he’s made for the classics. » « His excellent race intelligence and positioning capabilities are also strong skills in a lead out role. His profile matches the one of our sprinter Biniam Girmay, as he can survive in hard races. Recently, I witnessed how he sprinted to second place in a hilly stage in the Tour of Norway. Mike also won several short stage races and is able to perform well in time trials. His arrival will reinforce our team on different terrains. I’m convinced that this transfer will lead to nice successes for Mike and that it will also be fruitful for Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux! »
Aike Visbeek (Performance Manager) Tweet