Rabobank's Amateur SquadAt the Rabobank presentation last Tuesday in Utrecht an amateur team of 17 riders was announced. As part of a multi year plan it was right to also have an amateur squad. Last year the effort rested in the one team composition.Verhoeven has put together a team full of talented riders such as the Dutch amateur champion Stefan van Dijk, Daniel van Elven (from Giant), Karsten Kroon (AGU) and Johan Bruinsma (Vredestein). Verhoeven spoke of a multi year plan. In 1998 he thought that around 6 or 6 of these riders will make the move up to the professional ranks. "We must give the young riders time to grow. We can presently pluck the fruit." The team is: Boris Berkhout, Coen Boerman, Johan Bruinsma, Stefan van Dijk, Marcel Duijn, Daniel van Elven, Addy Engels, Matthew Hayman, Bert Hiemstra, Karsten Kroon, Marc Lotz, Kasper Nijkamp, Charles Overgaag, Peter Schep, Julian Smink, Danny Stam and Wopke Veenstra. Rabobank stays until 2001Rabobank will stay with Jan Raas and his cycling team until the year 2001. Last year Rabobank arranged a contract with Jan Raas for three years plus an option of two years. Now the contract is changed. The investment will be around 60 million Dutch guilders in 5 years. |