Bobbie Traksel saw his plans of creating a new continental team for unemployed Dutch and Belgian riders come to nothing but has still no intentions of hanging up his wheels. The Dutchman hopes to find a new team that will allow him to continue his career.
With five professional teams folding, many riders have found themselves in a difficult situation. While most of them have tried to sign a contract with an existing team, Bobbie Traksel took an innovative approach when it was announced that his Champion System team will fold at the end of the season.
As the president of the union of Dutch riders, Traksel tried to create a new continental team that should provide a temporary home for unemployed Dutch and Belgian riders until the situation is expected to improve in 2015. He secured funding for 525,000 euros but still needed another 75,000 for the project to be turned into reality.
On Thursday, he passed the deadline and as the needed back had not turned up, he was forced to shelve his plans. Now he finds himself with no concrete offers for the coming season.
"I did it without a plan B," he told Ciclismo Internacional. "I met many good people and sponsors. I wanted to bring cycling forward but have no regrets."
Despite finding himself unemployed, Traksel refuses to give up.
"I hope to find a team since I have no intention of retiring," he said. "It will be difficult because there is not much time but I do not lose my hope."
The 32-year-old Dutchman turned professional with Rabobank in 2000 and stayed there until 2005 when he signed with Mrbookmaker.com. He rode for Unibet, Palmans, P3 Transfer-Batavus, Vacansoleil and Landbouwkrediet before joining Champion System prior to the season. In 2008, he won the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen overall but his proudest moment came at the 2010 Kuurne-Bruxelles-Kuurne when he won the semi-classic in horrendous weather conditions.
In 2013, his best results was a 3rd place on the final stage of the Driedaagse van West-Vlaanderen.
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