Toon Aerts will re-launch his career at Deschacht-Hens-Maes: "We had to check with all our sponsors how they felt about Toon's arrival"

It has been a long time coming, but Deschacht-Hens-Maes has now officially become Toon Aerts' new destination from mid-February as the Belgian attempts to restart his professional career. The team of Daan Soete and Corné van Kessel, among others, hopes to enter the top echelons of the cyclocross world with this signing, manager Bart Verschueren tells WielerFlits.

"Toon is a very big asset to the team. With his track record, he is someone we still see as a top rider. It was also the step we needed in the evolution of our team. From a sporting point of view, we had been kicking around locally for five years. For me it was simple: either strengthen sportively or gradually reduce it. It became the first."

"The interest on both sides was immediately clear, after we had met a few times. But yes, we first had to check with all our sponsors how they felt about Toon's arrival. Given what Toon had going on, it was important to ask if there were any objections. But once the road on that side was clear, we quickly came to an agreement."

Verschueren says he never doubted Aerts' innocence. "Not for a moment. I have also known Toon for some time. A long time ago, in the distant past, I rode in his team as a rider. What made it easier: Toon and his management gave us full access to all possible documents surrounding his suspension. In the statements of the UCI, and also all other documents that we considered necessary to form our judgement."