Team LottoNL-Jumbo signed 26-year-old Dutchman Twan Castelijns for the next two years.

“Twan made a lot of progress this year, despite the fact that he is a little bit older,” Sports Director Nico Verhoeven said. “He showed that he’s still getting stronger and that he can be valuable to our team. During his internship, he made a good impression and proved to be a worthy team-mate.”

“I didn’t expect to become a pro anymore,” Castelijns said after already racing for the team in recent months as a trainee.

“During my internship with the team, I rode some good races and got the chance to see how the team works. I liked what I saw. I’m looking forward to racing at World Tour-level.”

Castelijns primarily wants to learn during his first year with the team. “At the amateur level, I always was a good all-round rider. I can do well in echelons, on cobblestones and on hills, and I can ride a reasonable time trial.

“At pro level, I want to discover my speciality and learn a as much as possible. I want to show that this is the right move and develop into a strong pro rider.”