Today Lotto Belisol can announce a new transfer. The 25-year-old Pim Ligthart will ride two seasons for the team starting the 1st of January 2014. On 16th of June this year, on his birthday, he won the final stage of the Ster ZLM Toer by keeping ahead of a chasing peloton after an early break. In 2011 he crowned himself Dutch national champion on the road in his first year as a pro. At the moment Ligthart rides for Vacansoleil – DCM.
Pim Ligthart: “Lotto Belisol immediately appealed to me. I will ride for the first time in a complete Belgian team, in my current team there is a partly Belgian staff. I love racing in Belgium, cycling really lives there. It’s exciting to get to know new people, it will be my second pro team and I’m looking forward to it.”
“I have already proven that when I get to the finish in a select group, I can finish the job. In the future I’d like to play a role in the spring and in smaller stage races, like Tour of Denmark, Ster ZLM Toer or Tour de Wallonie, where I became 3rd in GC in 2012. My favourite races are the championships, I’m always performing well at the Dutch one. I have already been Dutch national champion once and I’d like to repeat that (laughs). I’m also looking forward to contribute to the successes of riders like Tony Gallopin and Jürgen Roelandts in the spring classics or the sprints of André Greipel.”
Data:
Name: Pim Ligthart
Date of birth: 16/06/1988
Place of birth: Hoorn
Length: 180cm
Weight: 68kg
Record:
2011-2013: Vacansoleil – DCM
2011: Hel van het Mergelland, Dutch national champion road race
2013: Stage 4 Ster ZLM Toer