In Belgian TV show De zevende dag Hans van Kasteren has explained why he chose Sven Nys to take over his Telenet Fidea team. "Of the four or five candidates, he had the best appeal to us," says Van Kasteren who admits to have earned some nice money in the deal.

Last Monday Sven Nys announced that he will be the new manager of Telenet-Fidea after his career. In De Zevende Dag, Hans van Kasteren explained how the deal came about.

"On a summer day I arrived at Sven Nys’s home. While we sat down and got something to drink, I asked him how he saw the future of cyclo-cross and his own future.

"I did not think that he would ever take over the team but after the conversation he said: may I call my advisor. Afterwards, (leader of Nys’ management company Golazo) Bob Verbeeck contacted me. They bought the shares together under the NV Balenberg name.

"Of the four or five candidates Sven had the best appeal to us because he fits best in our history, including the youth pyramid.

"Nick Nuyens was a candidate and he wanted to take over part of the current structure, but he wanted to integrate the team into a Continental Road Team. The sponsors did not like that and in the end they pay the whole team.

"Besides Nys and Nuyens, I also talked to the Roodhooft brothers (who already own the BKCP team) and the son of (former Prime Minister) Yves Leterme. In the very end there was a fifth party but I have not spoken with them.”

Hans van Kasteren earns some nice money by selling the team. "I'm a businessman so it's not a shame that I get something from this. 650,000 euros? I have read that too, but it is less. I had one apple before. Now I have a second apple and a pear.

"However, the money has never been a discussion point. I thought it was important that the buyers would keep the current pyramid and that all contracts, including those with the staff, were maintained.”

Will van Kasteren now disappear from cyclo-cross? "I will still support three riders personally. I'm staying in cross. Otherwise it would just be boring.”