Jens Verbrugghe will step up to the WorldTour with NSN Cycling Team after earning promotion from the team’s development squad.
The Belgian rider has signed a two-year contract covering the 2027 and 2028 seasons, completing a pathway from the NSN Development Team to the senior WorldTeam after joining the structure in 2025.
Verbrugghe promoted after strong development spell
Verbrugghe’s promotion follows a strong run of results in 2026, including 2nd place at the Lotto Famenne Ardenne Classic and two stage wins at the Volta ao Alentejo. Those performances helped confirm his readiness for the next level, particularly in the type of hard, aggressive racing where positioning and timing matter as much as raw strength.
NSN Cycling Team general manager Kjell Carlström said Verbrugghe’s progress over the past two seasons had made the decision a natural one.
“It has been fantastic to see how Jens Verbrugghe has matured in the NSN Development Team over the past two years, really finding his feet this year, which has resulted in some strong performances,” Carlström said.
The team sees Verbrugghe as a rider with more than one route into the WorldTour. His Belgian background and racing style make him an obvious candidate for Classics development, but NSN also believe he can contribute in sprint support and positioning work during his early professional years.
“As a Belgian, Jens is naturally at home in the Classics-style races, and one of our big focuses will be on developing him further to become one of our leaders in the Classics,” Carlström said.
“At the same time, Jens has excellent positioning and race intuition, which means he will be a valuable member of our sprint lead-out train, especially in his first years as a pro as he continues to gain experience.”
Photo Credit: SprintCyclingAgencyVerbrugghe: ‘It’s still hard to believe’
For the 21-year-old, the move marks the fulfilment of a long-term ambition.
“It’s still hard to believe that I will be a pro rider and riding at the highest level of cycling for the next two years,” Verbrugghe said. “It’s something I was dreaming of since I started cycling, and turning pro is something I’m really proud of.”
He credited the support around him for helping him reach this point, particularly the development environment that gave him the chance to race at a high level before making the WorldTour jump.
“It wouldn’t have been possible without the help and support of my family, friends, and all of the team staff members as well,” he said.
“I really feel at home in this team. I’ve had the opportunity to show myself at the highest level of Conti races, and I think it is one of the best development teams in the world.”
That sense of continuity appears to have been important. Verbrugghe has already had chances to race with the senior squad, and the step up now keeps him within a structure he knows.
“It is a real pleasure to ride for this team, and also for the WorldTeam in the opportunities I have had to race with them,” he said. “I knew I wanted to stay with NSN in the future, so it was an easy decision to sign this new contract.”
Classics, lead-outs and time trialling part of development plan
Verbrugghe’s first two seasons with the WorldTeam will be built around experience, but the outlines of his future role are already clear.
“The Classics are the races I enjoy the most,” he said. “I also enjoy sprint work with the lead outs and positioning, so I think there will be plenty of opportunities in the next few years to do some great work together with the team.”
That combination gives NSN flexibility. A young rider who can survive hard one-day races, position teammates and still develop his own result pathway is valuable in the modern peloton, where Classics depth and sprint organisation often overlap.
Verbrugghe also pointed to time trialling as an area he wants to keep developing.
“I’ve always focused on time trialing as well, so I hope to continue to develop in that area,” he said. “I’m looking forward to learning more from my experienced teammates and continue my progression, while aiming for some nice results.”
-
Photo Credit: Getty
NSN continue development pathway
The promotion is also another sign of NSN Cycling Team’s commitment to its development structure. Verbrugghe follows riders including Brady Gilmore, Moritz Kretschy, Pau Martí, Rotem Tene and Floris Van Tricht in moving up from within the NSN environment over the past year.
Development Team manager Tim Elverson said Verbrugghe’s promotion reflected the work being done to prepare riders properly for WorldTour racing.
“It’s great to see another rider moving from the Development Team to the WorldTeam,” Elverson said. “We work hard to develop the riders the right way, and we are consistently bringing them to the level it takes to be a strong WorldTour rider.”
“Jens has worked hard to bring himself to a level where we are excited to see what he can achieve as he makes this next step in his career.”
For Verbrugghe, the first task will be adaptation. The jump from development racing to the WorldTour brings longer races, deeper fields and fewer easy moments, but NSN’s plan gives him a defined path: learn the level, add value in lead-outs and positioning, and keep building towards the Classics role the team believes he can grow into.
