Jonathan Hivert has found a new team following the demise of his current Sojasun team. The French allrounder has signed a one-year contract with Belkin where he will be back on a ProTeam while working as a domestique and chasing personal results in select races.

Jonathan Hivert has been left without a team for the 2014 season ever since it was announced that his Sojasun squad will fold at the end of the season. Now the talented 28-year-old Frenchman has found a new home as he has signed a contract with Belkin.

Hivert is a talented allrounder who climbs well and has a fast sprint, especially in uphill finishes. As a young Credit Agricole rider, he had several good results but his major breakthrough came when he joined Skil-Shimano in 2009 and finished 8th in Paris-Nice.

He joined his current team, then known as Saur-Sojasun, for the 2010 season and has performed well in his 4 seasons at that squad. He has taken 7 wins with the major one being his stage in last year's Tour de Romandie when he won a hard uphill sprint.

This year has been his best so far as he was flying at the beginning of the season. He won Etoile de Besseges overall and two stages of the Vuelta a Andalucia before riding well in Paris-Nice where he was 22nd. Since then he has finished 7th in Circuit Cycliste Sarthe and he came agonizingly close to the win in the Tour de Luxembourg but had to settle for 2nd behind future teammate Paul Martens.

“I have a very good feeling about this move," he said. "Belkin is a fantastic team, one of the better ones in the peloton. They have a good philosophy. During races I’ve also seen that there’s a real team spirit among the riders. That really appeals to me.”

“I’m going to race at the highest level," he added. "I can only get better because of that. I’m 28, and I have my best years ahead of me. I would like to learn from all the great riders within the team and I hope to discover myself in the big races.” 

At Belkin, he will be reunited with sports director Merijn Zeeman whom he knows from his time at Skil-Shimano. Zeeman is looking forward to the renewed cooperation.

“He has the personality of a winner, but is also a team player," he explained. "That is the strength of our team as well. A lot of guys here know exactly how to help others, but can also win on their own. I’m really looking forward to working with him again. He has clear ideas and opinions, but is also open to coaching and advice.” 

Zeeman sees Hivert being a strong card for races like the Tour of Luxembourg.

“In those kinds of races, we can really use Jonathan,” he said. “He wants to help others, but we can also assign him as a co-leader in certain races. In short uphill finals, he can be deadly. In some of these race he can maybe even focus on the GC.”

Hivert will finish his time at Sojasun at tomorrow's Paris-Bourges and Sunday's Paris-Tours.