Rik Verbrugghe's son turns pro with NSN

NSN Cycling has announced the arrival of Jens Verbrugghe to the WorldTeam. The 21-year-old Belgian was already active in the development squad of the team that races under a Swiss license.

Verbrugghe is the son of former Belgian national coach and ex-rider Rik Verbrugghe, who won the 2001 La Flèche Wallonne and also has stage victories in the Giro d'Italia and Tour de France to his name. Jens showed his form earlier this year with two stage wins in the Portuguese Volta ao Alentejo and a second place in the Famenne Ardenne Classic.

Although he has already raced occasionally for the WorldTeam this season, he will become a full-time professional only from 2027. He has signed a two-year contract. "It is still hard to believe that I am becoming a pro cyclist and will race at the highest level for the next two years," he says himself.

"The classics are the races I enjoy the most. I love the sprint work with the lead-outs and positioning. I have also always focused on time trials, and I hope to keep developing in that area. I look forward to learning from my experienced teammates and continuing my progress, while also aiming for some great results."

Previously, Verbrugghe was active in the development team of Groupama-FDJ.