The Rayner Foundation is very happy to share the news, announced today, that one of our riders Oliver Knight has signed a professional contract with Team Cofidis. The announcement was made on the team website. https://equipecofidis.com/fr/actualites/2023-09-28/l-espoir-oliver-knight-signe-son-premier-contrat-chez-cofidis
Oliver Knight:
"I am so happy. I worked for years, I fought to be professional and to get there today. It's a dream come true! Having an internship with the team was very positive. I feel like I learned a lot. It's very special to wear the colors of a UCI World Tour team. But all the riders were very welcoming and I had the impression of being quickly integrated into the collective. It is also important to me to thank the Aix-en-Provence team who contributed to my training and the Rayner Foundation who helped me upon my arrival in France. From now on, I want to continue my learning at the highest level, to know more precisely the type of rider I can be and, why not, discover the Belgian classics which I really want to do with the Cofidis jersey!"
Oliver went to France to join the team of Aix-en-Provence in 2020. He has returned to the team each year since then and served his apprenticeship supported by the Rayner Foundation.
After a time spent as a stagiare last year with UAE Team Emirates which included a broken pelvis he returned to AVC Aix for 2023 but under the eye of Team Cofidis who brought him into their fold with team training camps and a stagaire opportunity.
Cédric Vasseur, general manager: “ We are delighted to be able to offer Oliver a professional contract for the next two seasons. Since joining the team, he has only progressed and demonstrated great qualities at the highest level. His profile was recommended to us by Jean-Michel Bourgain with whom we have worked in close collaboration for several years. After allowing us to work with Christophe Laporte, Anthony Pérez and Harisson Wood, it is Oliver's turn to join the team. This shows the quality of the work carried out by the AVC Aix-en-Provence structure.
We detected quite extraordinary abilities in Oliver from his first arrival with the team during this winter's training camp. On the Tour du Poitou-Charentes and the Tour du Luxembourg, Oliver was able to stand out. So a new life will begin for him. Our objective is to introduce him to different worlds of the professional world and above all to support him and enable him to progress to play leading roles. I am convinced that Oliver, with his abilities and his mentality, will very quickly establish himself in world cycling."
We send all our congratulations to Oliver and look forward to seeing him in those Belgian classics next year!
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