By attracting Nick van der Lijke, Roompot Orange Peloton has announced its second acquisition for next year. The 23-year-old talent comes from the Rabobank Development Team and has already spent two seasons in the UCI World Tour. After a verbal agreement was reached last week, he signed a contract for one year yesterday . "I want to take the next step in my career," says van der Lijke, "And I think the experienced team leaders of this team will help me."

Erik Breukink has had the contact with the new acquisition. "We are very excited about Nick's arrival in our team. He is very motivated to ride a little more for his own opportunity and we can certainly give him that opportunity in some races. We will later see which races that will be," said Breukink. "He's an all-round rider with potential and certainly enough room for growth."

After his years with Belkin and LottoNL-Jumbo, van der Lijke wants to find the limits of his capabilities. "I could have signed with my current team, but I wanted a somewhat freer role. With a WorldTour team you often have to ride for the leaders. That makes sense, of course, but because I am very curious about how I can develop, I wanted to ride more for my own chance."

Van der Lijke has yet to win but this year he was 7th in Dwars door Drenthe, 13th in the final standings of the Tour de L'Ain and 18th in the GP Plouay. Moreover, he finished his first grand tour, the Giro d'Italia, in a May. In a crash at the Tour of Britain, e broke his left collarbone last Monday and dislocated his right shoulder which unfortunately meant an early end to his season.   

It was already known that Pieter Weening will also join the team.

Two riders extend, one leaves

Huub Duijn and Reinier Honig will ride for the team next year. The management of the team has extended the contracts with the two experienced riders for one season. "These riders made it clear during the last year that they fit very well with our philosophy," said team manager Michael Zijlaard about extending the collaboration with the duo. "Reinier reads the race like no other and knows what it requires to be a good professional. This knowledge he can pass to our young talents. Huub has rediscovered himself and confirmed what we saw in him; he can be with the best in some races."

The 31-year-old Duijn was on the podium of the Tour de Luxembourg (3rd in the final standings and 4th in a stage) and finished 9th in the Tour de Yorkshire and the Baloise Belgium Tour. Another place of honor was 7th in the GP Jef Scherens in Leuven. "I am obviously very happy with the fact that I can stay," he said. "I have perhaps had the best year of my career and of course also with the team and the program that we have. In addition, I have become more mature as a rider and I feel that I still have more to do.

Reinier Honig is also looking forward to his second season at Roompot Orange Peloyon. "I am very pleased with this team and can say that I have never felt so good in a team. Not only because of the atmosphere within the team, but also because there is a lot of appreciation." The 31-year who is often in breakaways, knows that his contract extension is not due to his results. "They are not impressive but from the work I do for guys like Maurits Lammertink and our sprinters, I also get a lot of satisfaction. A role as road captain suits me fine and I find myself as a big help for the young riders."

Mike Terpstra will no longer be in the team of Michael Boogerd, Jean-Paul van Poppel and Erik Breukink. The expiring contract of the 28-year-old will not be renewed. "We want to give at least two young riders the chance in our team every year. In addition to Nick van der Lijke there is there still room for one talent," Zijlaard said about this decision. "That's what we hope to announce in the short term."

''Of course I would like to extend my contact," Mike Terpstra said. "After a nice year as a professional I would have liked to win in 2015. However, the team management opts for rejuvenation and I must give room for that. For me personally, it feels unjustified, because I feel that I have grown evert month thanks to the team. I will do everything possible to find a new team at Pro Continental level to continue riding. I want to thank my teammates and staff for the strong support to me and the team management for the opportunity they've given me."