Kenny Dehaes continues his cycling career with Wanty-Groupe Gobert. The 30-year old Belgian signed a two-year deal with the team from Wallonia, Belgium. Dehaes was part of Lotto-Soudal and its predecessors for seven seasons.
 
“Everything will be new but that’s good. It’s a new impulse for my career. I expect to meet a motivated group of riders to work together with. I look forward to help the younger guys with my experience so we can go for success together next year,” Dehaes explains.
 
In the Tour Down Under Dehaes severely injured his fingers in January. It kept him from racing for a month. A mere three weeks after his comeback he broke his arm in Handzame Classic. Despite all the adversity he managed to win three races with his fast legs: GP Stad Zottegem, Heusden Koerse and Borsbeek.
 
“I had a very bad year which I want to leave behind as soon as I can. Next year I want to get back to the level I had in 2013 and 2014. Races like Handzame Classic, Three-Days West-Flanders or Nokere Koerse suit me perfectly. I prefer these over the Tour Down Under or a grand tour because I already did those. At Wanty-Groupe Gobert they have the race programme I like.”
 
Dehaes already won some nice races in his career: Schaal Sels, Handzame Classic, Nokere Koerse, GP Stad Zottegem, Halle-Ingooigem, Ronde van Drenthe, Trofeo Palma and stages in the Tour of Wallonia, Tour of Belgium and the Four-Days of Dunkirk.
 
Sports director Hilaire Van Der Schueren has known Dehaes since he was an U23-rider and thinks he is a good match for Wanty-Groupe Gobert
 
“Kenny is a smart rider and will be a great road captain. He reads the race well and has lots of experience after riding with and for guys like André Greipel, Jens Debusschere and Kris Boeckmans at Lotto-Soudal. He brings that experience to our team when he rides with Roy Jans for instance. In his races, the 1.1’s he will ride for his own chances. I am sure he’ll win a few races again next year,” Van Der Schueren explains.
 
After signing Thomas Degand, Robin Stenuit, Gaëtan Bille and Antoine Demoitié, Kenny Dehaes is the fifth new rider for Wanty-Groupe Gobert.

Marco Marcato, Roy Jans, Jérôme Baugnies, Kévin Van Melsen, Lander Seynaeve, Simone Antonini, Frederik Backaert and Tom Devriendt already had a contract for 2016.