The 18 year old Estonian sprinter becomes trainee in August 2022 before turning professional in 2023
Madis Mihkels (18) has chosen to spend his future with Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert Matériaux in 2023 and 2024. Before making his professional debut, the young talent from Tartu will ride in the colors of Team Ampler-Tartu2024 in 2022.
In September, Estonian rider Madis Mihkels won the bronze medal at the Junior World Championships in Leuven by winning the sprint of the peloton. In this way he confirmed that he is one of the best riders of his generation, after his 7th place at the difficult European Championships in Trente two weeks before and his two sprint victories in the nations cup in Hungary. In 2021, he also won the junior national titles in both the time trial and the road race. The 18 year old rider will become the second Estonian rider to wear the jersey of Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert, after Rein Taaramäe.
Madis Mihkels:
« I’m very proud to join the Intermarché-Wanty-Gobert project. During my years as a junior I didn’t receive many opportunities to prove myself because of the pandemic, but my performance at the World Championships in Leuven enabled me to show what I’m capable of. The first contacts with the team immediately confirmed the friendly atmosphere for which it is known. Together we decided that the best option for me would be to continue my development in 2022 in the U23 category, and meanwhile participate to the training camps of the World Team. It is a fantastic opportunity to be able to rely on the advice of Rein Taaramäe, a reference in my country. He is a great mentor and will help me, in addition to the performance staff, to learn step by step. »
