Aaron Gate: The Combination of Track and Road.
Aaron Gate, born in Auckland in 1990, is a cyclist who masterfully combines track and road disciplines. His track record in the velodrome places him in a prominent position, having won two World Championships: the omnium in 2013 and the points in 2023. In addition, Gate has accumulated a dozen medals in world and Olympic events, including the team pursuit.
On the road, Gate is an accomplished time trial specialist and a versatile rider capable of excelling in the classics and sprints. He has been New Zealand's national time trial champion and has won prestigious events such as the Tour of Luxembourg. His speed also led him to victory at the Commonwealth Games in 2020. In addition, he has proven his worth in the classics, scoring good results in races such as the Antwerp Port Epic, the Circuit de Wallonie and the Cadel Evans Great Ocean Road Race.
Regarding his arrival at Burgos BH, Aaron Gate is excited about the new challenge: "I'm really looking forward to joining Burgos BH in 2024. It's a really exciting opportunity to join a team with a lot of history. I've known Julio Andrés Izquierdo's passion for cycling, leading his team for 41 years. I think that must be a record for the sport. We must recognize his work and that of all the staff and sponsors involved. Next year in Paris I will compete in my fourth Olympic Games and I will fight for the gold medal on the track. It is comforting to know that I have a great road team, with a fantastic racing program, that will help me have the best chance of achieving that goal. I'm really looking forward to getting on the BH bike and going for victories with Burgos BH in as many races as we can."
George Jackson: Speed and Immediate Success.
On the other hand, George Jackson, born in Wellington in 2000, joins Burgos BH after an outstanding season in which he has achieved five victories in less than a month. In September, he won two stages and claimed victory in the Tour of Lake Taihu. A week later, he added another stage at the Tour of Langkawi and, in October, he took another win at the Tour of Hainan, proving himself to be a sprinter with great potential.
Jackson has previously excelled as a sprinter in his home country, but his calendar was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2023, his first professional year in Europe, he achieved notable results, including a national criterium runner-up finish, a seventh place in the Tour de Loir y Cher, a fifth place in the GP Gemenc prologue and a third place in the Schaal Sels.
In addition to his success on the road, Jackson has also excelled on the track, where he claimed the 2018 world junior team pursuit champion title. He has continued his progression in national and continental championships, as well as the Nations Cup.
George Jackson expressed his excitement about joining Burgos BH: "I am very excited to be joining Burgos BH in 2024. This year was my first season on the road in Europe and I have learned a lot, but I think I have a lot more to learn and I know that Burgos BH is where I will continue to grow as a cyclist. I hope to bring my sprinting ability to the team, as I have shown this year in Asia that I have good legs for stage finishes. I would like to thank the team enormously for the opportunity they have given me."
Expectations of the Sporting Director.
Damien Garcia, the sports director of Burgos BH, highlighted the qualities of both riders and the team's excitement about their arrival: "Aaron Gate is a very powerful rider, multiple world track champion. He has competed quite a few years as a professional in European races, winning several races. He will bring us his experience and his qualities as a sprinter. George Jackson is a younger rider, with a lot of speed. This 2023 was his first real year on the road and he had some quality successes at the end of the season. He will be one of the sprinters of the team and will also give us power in the classics. We are very excited about the arrival of both of them and the priority now will be their adaptation to the team. We have no doubt that they will help us to take a new step forward as a group. We want to continue the dynamic we have had in 2023, winning races and growing as a team. Aaron and George will help us to continue in that line".