Back-to-back one day races in Belgium for Team Novo Nordisk
24 August 2021
Belgian stagiaire Robbe Ceurens will get the chance to make his first senior appearance on home roads for Team Novo Nordisk this week at the doubleheader of Druivenkoers-Overijse and the Brussels Cycling Classic.
The world’s first all diabetes professional cycling team return to the Belgian cobbles for the first time since the Belgium Tour back in June. This time around Ceurens has stepped up from the Development Team and will line up for his second race for the pro team after his recent baptism of fire at the Tour of Denmark.
“It is going to be really special racing for the pro team on my home roads,” began Ceurens. “On Saturday, the race actually passes only one kilometer from my house, so that’s going to be unreal and I really want to be able to do well racing in front of my family and friends. For sure it will be really hard and typical Belgian style racing with cobbles, steep hills and a lot of corners.”
“Despite crashing twice on stage one in Denmark, I enjoyed every moment of my first professional race. Unfortunately, I had to leave the race early on stage three. I was really disappointed to leave the race like this, but my body was just not recovering anymore. After Denmark I got some quality time at home to heal up and I feel my body is ready again for the upcoming races. I know racing in Belgium, this is what I have grown up doing, the level will be higher, but I know the roads and I know what I can do.”
Italian Andrea Peron will lead the team and need all his experience on hand with compatriot Umberto Poli and Brit Sam Brand in support.
“Druivenkoers-Overijse and Brussels Cycling Classic are going to be a very stern test for our guys,” said General Manager Vassili Davidenko. “Racing in Belgium is always tough, but these are old one-day races with challenging parcours that also include new additions to the routes as the organizers look to highlight the upcoming World Championships in Flanders next month.”
Irishman Stephen Clancy returns alongside Finnish champion Joonas Henttala and American Logan Phippen.
“It is going to be very important for our guys to be focused,” concluded Davidenko. “Switched on and above all united because we will all have to work together to come through with a positive performance. We want to end the season on a high note and that starts now as we go into our last few weeks of tracing.”
61st edition of Druivenkoers-Overijsewith the historic semi-classic covering 192 kilometers over a new route that includes part of the upcoming world championships course in Flanders over five circuits, starting and finishing in Overijse.
Saturday’s Brussels Cycling Classic will be the 102nd edition of the race formerly known as Paris-Brussels and also includes a change of route as the race heads to Geraardsbergen for a dauting double ascent of the Muur-Kapelmuur, Bosberg and Congoberg.
Team Novo Nordisk at Druivenkoers-Overijse and Brussels Cycling Classic 26th & 28th August:
Sam Brand (GBR, 30)
Robbe Ceurens (BEL, 21)
Stephen Clancy (IRL, 29)
Joonas Henttala (FIN, 30)
Andrea Peron (IT, 32)
Logan Phippen (USA, 29)
Umberto Poli (IT, 24)