Belgian Jens Keukeleire, a member of ORICA-GreenEDGE since its inception in 2012, has committed to the Australian outfit for a further two seasons.

The 26-year-old has developed into a crafty all-rounder for the outfit but is best known for his ability in the Classics, including his effort to record ORICA-GreenEDGE’s best ever cobbled-Classic result with a sixth place at Paris-Roubaix this year.

“I have been here from the start and it’s actually been really special,” Keukeleire said. “During the Vuelta we had a chat about who is still here from the beginning and it’s a very special feeling to have been here from the start and to still be here now.

“I think program wise, there isn’t a lot of teams that I can have a better or nicer program than I am doing now, especially the races I target too, I get more and more my own chances.

“And off the bike, you hear from everybody that ORICA-GreenEDGE must be a nice team to be in and that is just the way it is. This team is really nice to be in, there is always a good atmosphere.”

Not surprisingly, Keukeleire lists the Classics as his highlights so far, but also as his biggest objectives to come over the 2016 and 2017 seasons.

“I’m really confident that with a good winter I can step up again in the Classics,” he said. “I finished sixth in Roubaix, going for the win, after a less than perfect winter. With no problems, I think I can do even better.

“The main thing is to feel that you progress every year and I hope to have a good winter this year. 

“They say if you have a good Vuelta you take it with you into the winter so when you start training again you have that little bit extra and then you take that winter with you into the Classics. I just completed my first Vuelta and I’m really curious how that is going to work out.” 

Sport director Matt White said the Belgian provided value to the ORICA-GreenEDGE team in a lot of different areas.

“Jens has been with us since day dot and he is still progressing,” White said. “His ride at Roubaix this year was a bit of a taste for what he is capable of.

“We expect Jens to keep maturing over the next couple of years, especially in that Classics period which is a big passion of his.

“He is also a guy we have taken to the Tour de France and to the Vuelta a Espana. He is a very complete bike rider and he ticks a lot of boxes for us right across the board - in stage races and one-day races.”

Jens Keukeleire
Date of birth: 23rd November 1988 (26)
Nationality: Belgian
Turned pro: 2010

Palmares:
- 6th 2015 Paris-Roubaix
- 9th 2015 E3 Harelbeke
- 1st 2013 Vuelta a Burgos – Stage 2 and 3