Joost Van Leijen, the 27-year-old from Nijmegen, Holland who is in the midst of a breakout season, is unlikely to return to Vacansoleil-DCM, where he has spent the last two full seasons. Van Leijen’s next team is not yet known, but Belgian news source Het Nieuwsblad is speculating that it could be Marc Sergeant’s Lotto squad.
The team’s press officer confirmed to VeloNation that it looks like the rider will leave. “Joost has no contract [with us] for 2012,” Frank Kwanten said. “Joost and the team negotiated but didn’t get to a deal so he will be leaving the team. We don’t yet know where he is going.”
Van Leijen is in just his second year as a professional, having spent more than six years on the continental team Van Vliet-EBH Elshof. After joining Vacansoleil and winning the Münsterland Giro last year, he enjoyed a breakout season in 2011. He placed eighth in the Tour of Belgium and was then fourth overall in the Ster ZLM Tour.
The Dutchman then got his first win of the season in stage two of the Tour de Wallonie, and took the leader’s jersey one day later. Though he wound up second overall behind Greg Van Avermaet (BMC Racing Team), he carried his solid form to the Eneco Tour, where he finished sixth.
Those performances should boost interest in him; the question of where he will compete in 2012 should be answered at some time in the near future.