After a decade of racing for Continental teams, and having turned 30-years-old this year, the vast majority of riders - even those already in the pro peloton - would have given up on breaking into the top tier of the sport for their first time in their career.
However, due to his performances in virtual races, diesel engine and quality TT rider Michael Vink has just secured a one-year deal to ride at World Tour level next year.
The Kiwi rider has been signed by UAE Team Emirates, which said he came onto their radar due to his virtual racing results on the My Whoosh app, which was founded in UAE and which riders can race and train on.
Vink is by no means a newcomer to the sport, or even competing against the pros, and was Kiwi road race champion in 2012 while also winning the TT crown in 2010 and 2015.
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UAE Team Emirates principal and chief executive Mauro Gianetti said the team's riders use Whoosh and as they kept an eye on their performances on the app, Vink's name continually popped up for the strength of his performances.
"In some of these races we began to see Michael’s name popping up at the top of the results and contact was made," he said. "Cycling is constantly evolving and new innovations like Whoosh, which we are proud to say is a platform founded in the UAE, are even helping us discover new riders which would have been unthinkable just a few years ago.”
Vink has ridden this year for Kiwi team St George Continental and began his career at Subway-avanti Cycling Team back in 2010.
“I’m extremely grateful to be given this opportunity with UAE Team Emirates," he said. "To be asked to be a part of such a great team is truly humbling and is something I plan to take full advantage of. This is the start of a new chapter in my career and I can’t wait to see what I can do in the World Tour peloton.”
