Wout Van Aert would be a huge name for Aqua Blue Sport to land to add to its existing talent. But his team has said it is not happy with a statement issued by the Irish team. Aqua Blue Sport said it had acquired Vérandas Willems–Crelan. But the Belgian team has taken issue with the claims.
Vérandas Willems distances itself from Aqua Blue statement
The Vérandas Willems–Crelan cycling team has moved to distance itself from a statement by Aqua Blue Sport in which the Irish team said it had acquired the Belgian squad.
“We disassociate ourselves expressly from all communication that has been published today regarding the supposed acquisition of our team by Aqua Blue Sport,” a statement said on Wednesday evening.
“We can confirm, however, that Sniper Cycling and Aqua Blue Sport are currently holding talks to look into a possible collaboration from 2019 onwards.
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“Out of respect to all parties involved, we will currently refrain from further comments.”
The statement suggests that while the teams are indeed working on a collaboration, Aqua Blue Sport’s statement was premature.
Hopefully they will still come to an agreement that can make both teams stronger.
Official statement from our team management. ??? pic.twitter.com/Y9Y16Kpaz3
— Veranda’s Willems - Crelan Pro Cycling Team (@Snipercycling) August 1, 2018
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Reports had surfaced in the Belgian media in the past 24 hours that the two ProContinental teams were set to merge.
Those reports were followed up on Wednesday afternoon by a number of European media outlets, including stickybottle.
Aqua Blue Sport then issued a statement on its website saying it had acquired the Belgian team by buying its parent company Sniper Cycling.
The Irish team said the acquisition meant Wout Van Aert would ride for Aqua Blue Sport next year.
Van Aert is the world cyclocross champion. And having decided to ride on the road this year he made a big impact in the classics.
His best result of the spring was 3rd in Strade Bianche. But he appeared to move seamlessly from short cyclocross races into five-hour road classics.
And in doing so after a cyclocross season, it marked him out as a very exciting road prospect.
Van Aert plans to race the cyclocross season again this year. And he is set to ride the 2019 road campaign for Vérandas Willems–Crelan.
That means if Aqua Blue Sport acquires Vérandas Willems–Crelan, Van Aert would become an Aqua Blue Sport rider.
The Irish team’s statement today said that had already happened; that the purchase of the team was complete.
But clearly Vérandas Willems–Crelan is unhappy with that statement being issued and the claims in it.
And it has now suggested in a statement of its own that while talks are underway to work together next year, they have not reached the point of a deal being announced.
Aqua Blue Sport has since rowed back from its comments, withdrawing its statement. And the social media posts it published on Wednesday announcing news of the acquisition have also been deleted.
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