South African Willie Smit has signed a contract with Burgos-BH for the 2020 season, according to a recent statement from the team.
Smit, who will move from Katusha-Alpecin, said he felt very happy to be joining the Spanish outfit.
“For me, Spain is my second country. I love to work with Spaniards and this calendar is the best for a rider with my characteristics. Also, Burgos-BH showed me a very interesting sporting project,” said Smit.
Willie Smit, pictured during the Volta a Catalunya, has signed a contract with Burgos-BH for the 2020 season. Photo: Namuss Films
“I know I’ll have more freedom than in Katusha, but at the same time this is a responsibility that I needed at this point in my career.
“The work of Angel Madrazo at the Vuelta a Espana has set the bar very high for all the riders of the team, but we have to start the 2020 season with the ambition of improving on that level from the first race of the year.”
The 26-year-old stepped onto the World Tour platform with Katusha-Alpecin and was named in the start list for the 2019 Vuelta.
Burgos-BH general manager Julio Andres Izquierdo said they had been following Smit since 2017 when he came to Spain to compete as an amateur and achieved very decent results.
“He won two classics, took stage victories in Galicia, Zamora and Segovia and topped the overall classifications in Segovia and León.
“Back then we already tried to sign him and since then we have always kept an eye on him.”
