Three cyclo-cross riders who did not have teams for 2026 were given a rare opportunity to finish out the season with a temporary team that will run through February.
A part of the Alpecin-Deceuninck organisation that also runs the Fenix-Deceuninck women's team, Team EKOÏ will support Ryan Kamp, Lauren Molengraaf and Hélène Clauzel from January 1 through the end of February.
Kamp, the 19th-best elite male cyclo-cross racer so far this season, has been racing under Fenix colours, Molengraaf was not renewed with the Charles-Liegeois Roastery CX team that was part of the Wanty organisation, and 14th-ranked Clauzel has been racing without sponsors.
General Manager Philip Roodhooft explained why the organisation added another team alongside the men's and women's WorldTour teams and development teams and their multi-discipline riders like Mathieu van der Poel, Puck Pieterse, Tibor del Grosso and Ceylin del Carmen Alvarado.
"Despite our growth, cyclo-cross is where we come from. It is the discipline that shaped our identity," he said in the press release. Both Christoph [Roodhooft, co-manager] and me see it as our mission to keep the sport attractive and competitive.
"With Team EKOÏ, we want to give three riders the chance to keep fighting for their place at the highest level. They deserve a professional environment, strong guidance and the right equipment. And thanks to the support of EKOÏ and Colnago, we can offer exactly that through the end of the season. After that, we will sit down together and see what the future may bring."
The team is a 'bridging project' that will allow all three riders to have full professional support, including performance and nutrition coaching and top-notch equipment.
Although explicitly temporary, the project will be re-evaluated in February.
