Shortly before the start of Paris-Nice, Belkin extended their contract with Moreno Hofland. The Dutchman will now stay with the team until 2016 and he proved his worth immediately by taking a win in the prestigious French race.

Moreno Hofland the former U23 Champion of the Netherlands has accepted an offer from the Belkin Pro Cycling Team to extend his contract after a sparkling performance to place 2nd at Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne.

Hofland, who won a stage of the Tour de l'Avenir in 2011 and most recently took the overall in last year's Tour of Hainan said he had no doubts at all about staying with the team when he heard the news;

"I'm getting all the help I want and I feel at home with the riders and staff. I feel a lot of trust here. With other teams I doubt I would get that in another team. Frans Maassen and Mathieu Heijboer are my coaches and we connect very well, Mathieu has trained me from junior level and that’s something I do not want to lose."

The deal, which runs to the end of 2016, means that the young Dutchman is free to follow up on the form he has shown in the early season classics and chase results, a situation that suits the team as much as Hofland.

“For us and as well for Moreno this contract extension takes away some pressure. Now we don’t have to worry about it anymore and can work a bit more relaxed, which is better for the performance and results. We think we can get a lot more out of Moreno with the way we work. We see a lot of potential in him," commented Team Belkin’s General Manager, Richard Plugge. 

"Moreno’s future lies in classics and sprints after hilly stages. This year it’s about riding hard races for him. In Paris-Nice, he can do some sprints and see where he stands in relation to the top, ” added Team Belkin’s Sports Director, Nico Verhoeven. 

Hofland went to 'The Race to the Sun' with renewed morale and took an impressive stage win, followed by 2 further tough outing in the Tours of Romandie and California.