Another successful year for Buitenpoort-Flexpoint, that's the claim in their end-of-year media release. The stats prove it too - there were some great results for the team in 2006. There was a total of 73 victories, even with team captain, Mirjam Melchers van Poppel sidelined through problems with a trapped vein in her groin which required surgery and then, just a week after her comeback, a heavy crash in the third stage of the Eurigio Ladies Tour. Having said that, she contributed a World Cup victory, taking the Tour of Flanders in April, to the team's victory tally.

Ex-road World Champion, Swede Susanne Ljungskog, also won a World Cup - her home event (the first ever in Sweden), the Vårgårda Open de Suede. Ljungskog also provided lots of publicity for the team sponsors by winning overall in the Holland Ladies Tour at the end of August. Linda Villumsen also took a large step forward, by winning the European time trial Championship, and the overall in the Tour de France Féminine. Loës Gunnewijk also showed a lot of progress, winning stages in the Tour de L'Aude, the Eurigio Ladies Tour and the Dutch time trial Championships. 

Jean-Paul van Poppel's team picked up a total of 6 National championships in the 2006 National Championships; Villumsen won both the road and time trial titles in Denmark, Ljungskog, won two in Sweden. Suring the season, Annette Beutler joined the squad and added the Swiss Championship on the way. Elsbeth Vinck cannot be forgotten, she is the Dutch MTB and marathon MTB Champion. 

As a team, Buitenpoort-Flexpoint has won the team award in the Holland Ladies Tour, the Tour de L'Aude and the Tour de France Féminine.

All in all, a good year for all concerned.

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