Belgian champion’s BKCP-Powerplus team will change to Italian brand on January 1st
Niels Albert’s BKCP-Powerplus team will switch to Colnago bikes from 2012, according to Het Nieuwsblad, meaning that the Belgian champion will step off his Stevens bike for the last time on December 31st. The Belgian team has used bikes from the German marque since its inception in 2009, when it was created from the remains of the Palmans-Cras team around then World champion Albert.
Het Nieuwsblad also reports that BKCP-Powerplus’ development team, the Boxx Veldritacademie which includes Belgian women’s champion Sanne Cant, will be switching to Italian brand Alan from January 1st.
“Both Colnago and Alan have a great deal of experience in cross,” said BKCP-Powerplus manager Christoph Roodhooft. “We will be able to reap the benefits of this.”
Albert and his teammates will join big rival Sven Nys and the Landbouwkrediet astride a Colnago in 2012. The Kannibaal has been riding the legendary Italian marque for his entire career, first with Rabobank and then at his current team when he switched in 2008. Ernesto Colnago built his flagship Cross Prestige frame with input from Nys, and this is the frame that Albert will almost certainly be riding.