Blijlevens takes over as Vos’ team manager

by Ben Atkins at 2:02 PM EST

Dutch former sprinter Jeroen Blijlevens will return to the elite peloton in 2010, becoming the new manager of Marianne Vos’ team, currently known as DSB Bank-Nederland Bloeit. He will succeed the outgoing Arthur van Dongen, who is leaving the team to go to the men’s Rabobank team.

"With Jeroen as a team leader we can draw on a lot of experience as he knows what it is to be active at the highest level," said a delighted Vos on the team’s website.

Blijlevens was a professional rider from 1994-2004, riding for the TVM, Polti, Lotto-Adecco, Domo-Farm Frites and Bankgiroloterij teams. As a sprinter – nicknamed Jerommeke – he won a number of races including the Dutch semi-classic Veenendall-Veenendaal and 4 stages of the Tour de France, 2 of the Giro d’Italia and 5 of the Vuelta a España. Blijlevens has been working for a number of years as a co-commentator on Eurosport Netherlands and is expected to continue to do so.

The team is currently busy in the hunt for new sponsors, particularly to replace DSB Bank. The Dutch bank was one of the victims of the recent global financial crisis; it had called an early halt to its deal with the team earlier in the year, before being declared bankrupt and ceasing to exist in October. Vos, the World cyclocross champion, has been competing recently without the bank’s name on her jersey even though it will still be officially part of the team’s name until December 31st.

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