Dutch former-sprinter quits Cervélo TestTeam on it’s merger with Garmin-Transitions
The merger between the Cervélo TestTeam and Garmin-Transitions in 2011 necessarily means that a number of riders will have to look elsewhere, and the same is true for the teams’ staff. Jean-Paul Van Poppel has been a sports director with the Cervélo TestTeam since 2009, but will move across to the Dutch Vacansoleil team next year as it expands and bids for ProTeam status.
“Jean-Paul has been working in cycling for years,” said the Vacansoleil team’s general manager Daan Luijkx, “he has experience in managing a cycling team both inside and outside the races and, as a rider, he was also in the absolute top ranks.
“With the signing of Van Poppel we take another step in the further professionalisation of the team,” he added.
As well as being a sports director, Van Poppel will assist Luijkx in the day-to-day management of the team.
As a rider Van Poppel was one of the most successful sprinters of the late 1980’s and early 1990’s, winning a total of nine Tour de France stages, including four in the 1988 race, and the green jersey in 1987. He also won a total of nine stages of the Vuelta a España and four in the Giro d’Italia, as well as a number of major races, including the 1989 Veenendaal-Veenendaal (now known as the Dutch Food Classic) and the 1994 Etoile de Besseges.
After retiring from racing he began working as a women’s coach with the Dutch Cycling Federation (KNVU), before becoming sports director of various professional women’s teams. Most recently he was the manager of the Dutch women’s Flexpoint team, before joining the Cervélo TestTeam last year.
Van Poppel married one of his best students, Mirjam Melchers, who was a rider with Flexpoint until it’s demise at the end of 2009 and them moved over to Cervélo. In June of this year Melchers announced that she was to take a break from competition as she was expecting their child.
Van Poppel has a son from his first marriage, Boy Van Poppel, who is currently with the Rabobank Continental team but will join United Healthcare in the United States in 2011.