Team Giant-Alpecin has added talented young Dutch rider Mike Teunissen to its roster for 2017 and 2018. Teunissen is particularly strong in one-day classics, prologues and sprints. 

2014 was a successful year for the Dutchman, as he won the U23 editions of both Paris-Roubaix and Paris-Tours. Last year he won the Tour de l’Ain prologue and finished second in the bunch sprint at the Prudential RideLondon. This season he took two fourth places in bunch sprints, at the Tour of Oman and Tour of California. 

“I’m very happy with my transfer to Team Giant-Alpecin,” said Teunissen. “The opportunity came at the right moment in my career, and I seized it. I’m attracted by the team’s focus on helping riders improve, and by the professional support and opportunities they offer as a result. The team had a strong lineup already and has added some impressive talent, so we’ll have a good squad and I’m looking forward to some great seasons.” 

Coach Marc Reef said: “Mike has performed well already at a young age, often in a support role working for his team leaders. He feels most at home in the Flemish races in the spring, and he’ll also be able to go for an overall result in some of the shorter, less difficult stage races, as he is a strong prologue rider. He has the potential to achieve good results in the classics in the future, and with us he will have the opportunity to take the next step in his development. He will also have an important role in the lead-out for our German sprinters, Nikias [Arndt], Phil [Bauhaus] and Max [Walscheid].”