Dion Smith joins Wanty-Groupe Gobert

Team Wanty-Gobert Group is pleased to announce its 22nd and last rider for the 2017 season. Following the career end of Lieuwe Westra, our team was able to quickly engage the 23-year-old Dion Smith from New Zealand. Third in the national championship of New Zealand in early January, the former One Pro Cycling rider, now residing in Girona (Spain), is expected to make his debut in the new Wanty-Gobert jersey in mid-February.

Jean-François Bourlart (general manager):

"The goal of our team is to keep developing young talents. We were talking to Dion since internal changes at One Pro Cycling. Unfortunately we had no more space for him this year. But following the stop of Lieuwe Westra, we had a golden opportunity to hire him. It is important to be able to secure a talented young rider as him for two years. "

Hilaire Van der Schueren (Sports Director):

"We have been following Dion for a while and his consistence has always attracted us. We are happy to welcome a rider with his profile in the team. He is a true allrounder, able to express himself on all types of terrain. I want to see him at work to discover his limits. After the Herald Sun Tour in Australia, he will return with us to compete in the Tour of Algarve. "