Premier Tech has found a new destination to display its colors in the WorldTour next year: the Belgian team Alpecin and its star rider Mathieu van der Poel. The Quebec multinational brings with it its long-time protégé Hugo Houle.
The large-scale operation, made official on Friday at a press conference in Antwerp (Belgium), allows the company based in Rivière-du-Loup to extend its deployment in advanced cycling since it will also be the co-sponsor of the Fenix-Premier Tech women’s WorldTour team.
“This collaboration reaffirms our desire to be present at the highest level of this sport, and confirms our commitment to cycling for the long term,” said the president and CEO of Premier Tech, Jean Bélanger, in a press release.
“We are joining one of the most successful teams on the world circuit with athletes whose reputation is well established, such as Mathieu van der Poel, Jasper Philipsen and Kaden Groves for the men, as well as Puck Pieterse and Charlotte Kool for the women. The diversity, experience and depth of the team will allow us to accelerate the development of bridges at all levels of the sport, in addition to bringing out new talents. »
This announcement comes less than a month after Premier Tech’s surprise decision to end its co-sponsorship of Israel Premier-Tech (IPT), since renamed NSN Cycling Team and now operating under a Swiss license.
The training known since 2022 under the name Alpecin-Deceuninck therefore becomes Alpecin-Premier Tech from 2026 and until 2028, with a three-year renewal option. Deceuninck remains in the structure of the Belgian team founded by brothers Philip and Christoph Roodhooft, but in a reduced role.
After four seasons under the colors of Israel-Premier Tech, Houle will experience a “new start” with this Belgian squadron.
“My proximity to Premier Tech is no secret,” Houle recalled after the press conference for which he was present in Belgium. “From the moment they were taking a different path – and since there was an interest in me staying with them – the decision was quite simple to make. I am very happy with this new opportunity offered to me. »
The 35-year-old athlete sees this change very positively, which will allow him to put himself at the service of Van der Poel, one of the best riders of his generation with Tadej Pogacar and who has a world title and eight Monuments to his name (3 Tour of Flanders, 3 Paris-Roubaix, 2 Milan-San Remo). Belgian sprinter Philipsen. who raised his arms 10 times in the Tour de France, is the other great locomotive of Alpecin-Premier Tech.
“We are still joining a great team which has proven in the past to be capable of winning on the Monuments,” expressed Houle, “under contract next year and which maintains its intention to ride until 2027.” Not everyone can afford to do so and I hope to be able to bring my experience and contribute to the success of the team. “
The Quebecer also expects to get more opportunities to play his personal card on grand tour stages, he who would like to add another success after that of Foix at the 2022 Tour de France.
Hugo Houle does not hide it, the last few months have been trying with IPT, the object of the anger of pro-Palestinian demonstrators, which ultimately led to the departure of Premier Tech. The native of Sainte-Perpétue was marked by the protests surrounding the Quebec cycling Grands Prix in September. After the Montreal race, he had to be escorted by police.
“I am a runner, I want to have as much peace of mind as possible to be able to concentrate and be able to achieve the best in my sporting performance. It’s clear that there were difficult times. Returning to the hotel in a police car after a race, I had never experienced that before. »
As he did during his transfer from Astana to IPT in 2022, the year of his stage success at the Tour de France, Hugo Houle remains loyal to Premier Tech and to the man who became a friend in the person of Jean Bélanger. This will be his fourth training since his debut with AG2R La Mondiale in 2013.
Alpecin-Premier Tech will continue to be involved in cyclo-cross, mountain biking, gravel, three disciplines practiced by Van der Poel, as well as track.
Premier Tech is also involved with the French women’s ProTeam St Michel-Preference Home-Auber93, for which Quebecers Simone Boilard and Clara Émond will play next year, as well as Canadian champion Alison Jackson.
