Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team signs Milan Vader on a two-year contract

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Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team Signs Milan Vader on Two-Year Deal

Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team is pleased to announce the signing of Dutch cyclist Milan Vader on a two-year contract. A rising star in the cycling world, Vader brings a unique blend of talent, determination, and versatility to the team, having already made waves in both mountain biking and road cycling.

14 October 2024.

At 28 years old, Vader has built a compelling palmarés, first making his mark as one of the world’s top cross-country mountain bikers. He claimed the the Cross Country Elite National Dutch Champion title twice, secured multiple World Cup podiums and was a strong contender at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, representing the Netherlands. His success in mountain biking set the stage for his smooth transition to road cycling in 2021, where he continued to showcase his all-around talent, particularly excelling in climbing races.

After having spent his first three road cycling seasons at a WorldTour outfit Vader is eager to continue his development and capitalise on more opportunities at our Swiss-registered team:

“I’m really motivated to join Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. If you look at the team and there’s a forward movement, the equipment is great and it looks super professional. I’m very much looking forward to getting more of my own chances. I have a solid explosive sprint and can do really well in shorter races with an uphill finish. That sort of races suit me really well and I proved that last year in Guangxi. I believe I will get more opportunities and more freedom to achieve what I really want: win races!”

“I believe I will get more opportunities and more freedom to achieve what I really want: win races!”

In 2022, Vader was involved in a life-threatening crash, but his recovery and return to racing has been nothing short of remarkable. With the GC win in last year’s edition of Tour of Guangxi Vader consolidated his comeback to full form. He’s demonstrated a level of mental toughness and grit that aligns perfectly with the values of Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team.

Speaking about the signing, Doug Ryder, General Manager of Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team, said: “We are excited to welcome Milan Vader to the Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team. With a strong foundation in cross-country mountain biking, Milan has made remarkable strides since transitioning to road cycling. His explosive climbing skills will be a key asset to our team. Milan’s journey, especially his inspiring recovery from a serious crash two years ago, speaks to his resilience and determination. We believe he’s just at the start of an extraordinary road cycling career and we look forward to achieving great things together in the years ahead.”

After three seasons in the top echelons of road cycling Vader is committed to pursuing success in this discipline and making a strong impact in the sport with Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team.

“I achieved great success in cross-country mountain biking and will always love it but I have grown to really enjoy road cycling. I have found my place in this discipline and I’m happy to do this for the rest of my career. I made important steps in road cycling in the past few years but I feel there are still many areas where I can improve, such as tactics,” explained Vader. “I could say I’m a sort of an uphill sprinter. I do really well in climbs under five minutes with an uphill finish. I think I could do really well in races like Flèche Wallone.”

“I could say I’m a sort of an uphill sprinter. I do really well in climbs under five minutes with an uphill finish.”

Looking ahead to 2025 Vader is excited to continue to work with technical partners that proved instrumental to his successful transition into road cycling:

“I’m really happy to be able to continue to ride on SRAM and although I’ve never ridden on a Scott bike I know it’s a great bike. I’m also excited about the other partners, like Amacx. Nutrition strategy plays such a crucial role in performance and I’m really happy that in this area I’ll continue to rely on Amacx,” concluded Vader.

Milan Vader’s signing signals Q36.5 Pro Cycling Team’s continued commitment to building a competitive and dynamic roster. With his hunger for success and proven ability to overcome challenges, the team is confident that Milan will make a strong impact in the seasons ahead.