Robbie McEwen Signs with Team RadioShack

Cycling News

Robbie McEwen Signs with Team RadioShack

By AP
Dec 23, 2010 - 6:09:30 PM

Australian cycling star Robbie McEwen will make his debut for Lance Armstrong's Team RadioShack at next month's 2011 Tour Down Under, the first event of the 2011 ProTour season.

McEwen joins an already strong lineup that includes seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, competing in the Australian race for the third straight year, and former Swiss national champion Gregory Rast.

"McEwen has won more stages of our race than anyone else and is a big favorite with the fans," race director Mike Turtur said.

The 38-year-old McEwen has won 12 stages on the Tour de France and is a three-time winner of the Tour's green jersey as top sprinter.

The 2011 Tour Down Under will be raced in South Australia from January. 16-23.

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Team Pegasus Signs Knees, Rohregger and Eichler

Team Pegasus earlier today announced the signing of Austrian Thomas Rohregger and German riders Christian Knees and Markus Eichler.

In 28-year-old Markus Eichler, Team Pegasus gains an experienced classics rider. The German, who signed his first professional contract in 2006, rode for Team Milram during the past three seasons. In 2010 he claimed the victory in the Profronde van Fryslan in the Netherlands.

Christian Knees, another former Team Milram rider, proved his excellent cycling skills early in his youth by capturing bronze in the time trial at the 1999 Junior World Championships. Over the past 11 years, Knees has progressively transitioned from being a classics rider to a grand tour rider and finished 21st in the Tour de France in 2009.
Knees' greatest successes include the German national championship title in 2010 in the road race, overall victory in the Tour of Bavaria in 2008 and victory in the traditional German race Rund um K?ln back in 2006.

Thomas Rohregger completes the German-speaking trio coming from Milram. The talented 27-year-old rider is a climbing specialist and has already won several climber's jerseys - in races such as the 2010 Tour Down Under, the 2006 Tour of Austria, and the Tour of Luxembourg. Rohregger celebrated his greatest victory on home soil when he won the 2008 Tour of Austria.

"I am pleased that our team is growing and becoming more international," Pegasus Sports CEO Chris White commented when asked about the latest rider signings. White added "With these three German-speaking riders we have gained experienced professionals who have not yet fully realized their potential. All of them, whether climbers or all-rounders, bring skills that will help us achieve our goals for the upcoming season."

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Fabian Cancellara Signs with Team Leopard Racing

Cycling News

Fabian Cancellara Signs with Team Leopard Racing

By Reuters and RoadCycling.com
Nov 30, 2010 - 2:16:53 PM

Fabian Cancellara has signed with the Luxembourg Pro Cycling Projekt AKA Team Leopard Racing.

Four-time world time trial champion Fabian Cancellara has joined the Schleck brothers' team on a three-year deal, the Luxembourg Pro Cycling Project said on Tuesday.

"The Luxembourg Pro Cycling Project is thrilled to announce that it has signed Fabian Cancellara to a contract that will see the Swiss powerhouse riding for the team for the next three years," the team, who are set to hit the road next year, said in a statement.

Swiss Cancellara, who achieved a rare Tour of Flanders Paris-Roubaix classics double this year, is joining from Bjarne Riis's Saxo Bank team.

"I had many interesting options, but in the end I knew that the project in Luxembourg would have all the ingredients I would need to continue improving myself without skipping a beat," Cancellara said.

"It is a unique mix of familiar personalities with new surroundings which will ensure continuity while instilling a new motivation to make this project the most successful in cycling."

Tour de France runner-up Andy Schleck and his brother Frank also left Saxo Bank at the end of the season to launch their own team and have attracted several team mates to Luxembourg.

The Luxembourg Pro Cycling Project is managed by Brian Nygaard, a former media officer at Team CSC / Team Saxo Bank and Team Sky.

Riis has signed three-times Tour de France champion Alberto Contador, who failed a drugs test for the banned anabolic agent clenbuterol in July.

The Spaniard has been provisionally suspended and the UCI have asked the Spanish federation to open disciplinary proceedings that are not expected to be concluded before next year.

Saxo Bank, however, have pledged support to Riis, even if Contador is suspended.

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Team HTC-High Road Signs American Caleb Fairly

Cycling News

Team HTC-High Road Signs American Caleb Fairly

By Gerald Churchill
Nov 7, 2010 - 1:21:42 AM

Team HTC-High Road has added American neo-pro and strong climber Caleb Fairly to its roster for 2011 and 2012.

High Road Sports has added 23-year-old American neo-pro Caleb Fairly to the roster of its men's Team Columbia-High Road. The young rider's 2010 results include a third place finish in the Giro della Toscana and a victory at the Tour of the Battenkill.

"I'm very excited about the opportunity to join HTC-Highroad for the next 2 seasons," said Fairly. "This team has a reputation for developing young talent in the ProTour, and I am honored to be a part of such a great team and organization."?

The talented climber, time trialist and stage racer was recognized by team management as a rider with great promise.? "Fairly is a great young rider who demonstrates a lot of potential," Team HTC-High Road Manager Rolf Aldag commented and added "He took third in the Giro della Toscana this past year, and we look forward to seeing what he can do for HTC-Highroad in 2011."

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Volodimir Gustov Signs with Team Saxo Bank-SunGard

Cycling News

Volodimir Gustov Signs with Team Saxo Bank-SunGard

By Gerald Churchill
Nov 3, 2010 - 8:03:38 AM

Team Saxo Bank-SunGard and Riis Cycling earlier today announced that Volodimir Gustov has signed a contract with the team and that the rider will return to the team starting with the 2011 season.

Gustov returns to Team Saxo Bank and Riis Cycling after riding two years for Cervelo TestTeam.

With his tempo riding qualities, climbing skills and team spirit, the Ukrainian all-rounder helped Team CSC to the overall Giro d'Italia victory in 2006 when he rode as support for Ivan Basso, and Team CSC-Saxo Bank to the Tour de France victory when Carlos Sastre won the race in 2008.

"I'm happy to return to the team where I have memories of great performances with Bjarne Riis in the Giro d' Italia in 2006 and the Tour de France in 2008. More importantly, I'm looking forward to returning to the team philosophy which has helped me not only in cycling but also in my personal life. Actually, I'm rather emotional about returning to the team and I'm highly motivated to achieve great results with my teammates," Volodimir Gustov commented.

Team Saxo Bank-SunGard has also signed a one-year contract with the 22-year-old Italian talent Manuele Boaro. For fours years, the Italian has ridden for Zalf-Désirée-Fior where he has demonstrated great stability by often finishing near the very top. By winning the Italian junior time trial championship he has proven his great time trial skills as well.

"I'm honored to get this huge opportunity on the future Team Saxo Bank-SunGard. This is a dream about to come true and I'll do my very best to demonstrate my worth and to pay back the confidence that Bjarne (Riis) is showing me by offering me this contract. Naturally, I'm looking forward to meeting my new teammates and the staff around the team," Manuele Boaro commented.

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Team Leopard Racing Signs Stefan Denifl, Brice Feillu and Will Clarke

Cycling News

Team Leopard Racing Signs Stefan Denifl, Brice Feillu and Will Clarke

By Thomas A. Valentinsen
Nov 3, 2010 - 7:22:14 AM

Earlier today Team Leopard Racing (also known as the Luxembourg Pro Cycling Project) announced that Stefan Denifl, Brice Feillu and Will Clarke have signed contracts with the team for the 2011 season.

Leopard Racing Team manager Brian Nygaard commented "A warm welcome to Stefan Denifl, Brice Feillu and Will Clarke! Lots of talent, skill and personality...and more to come!"

Stefan Denifl moves to Team Leopard Racing from Cervelo TestTeam where the young Austrian rider has shown great potential and proved very impressive and persistent in major races during the 2010 season. Denifl finished 8th overall in the 2010 Vuelta Castilla y Leon and 7th overall in both the 2010 ?sterreich Rundfahrt and the 2010 Bayern Rundfahrt. Denifl previously rode for Team Volksbank-Voralberg (2006) and Team ELK Haus (2007-2009).

Denifl is known to pro cyclist colleagues as a reliable and trustworthy, hard working team player who is always ready to sacrifice his own chances for the team leader. His friendly and open spirit is also useful when it comes to building high spirits among team members.

Stefan Denifl is a strong climber with definite stage race potential, not least owing to his powerful time trial performance. Denifl became Austrian National Time Trial Champion in 2008. He told Roadcycling.com that he is "looking forward to this new chapter of my cycling life."

Frenchman Brice Feillu moves to Team Leopard prematurely from Team Vacansoleil after a disappointing 2010 season where Feillu has struggled with language barriers in the team and with the team atmosphere. The fact that Vacansoleil was not invited to the 2010 Tour de France was the decisive issue which made Feillu jump ship after only one season with Team Vacansoleil despite having signed with the team for both the 2010 and 2011 seasons.

25-year-old Feillu won stage 7 of the 2009 Tour de France, taking the riders from Barcelona to Arcalis in Andorra, and finished 25th overall in the race. He was immediately declared a future Tour de France winner by many French media.

Will Clarke (25, Australia) has ridden as stagiaire for AG2R in the second half of the 2010 season and won the Australian national road series in 2009. He finished 5th in stage 3 of the 2010 Tour of Wellington.

Not least Stefan Denifl and Brice Feillu should prove to be valuable helpers for Team Leopard Racing captains Frank Schleck and Andy Schleck.

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Stuart O'Grady Signs with Team Leopard Racing

Cycling News

Stuart O'Grady Signs with Team Leopard Racing

By AFP and Roadcycling.com
Nov 1, 2010 - 2:18:44 PM

Seasoned Tour de France campaigner Stuart O'Grady has rubber-stamped his departure from Saxo Bank by signing with the Luxembourg Cycling Project / Team Leopard Racing being led by Andy Schleck and Frank Schleck.

The Schlecks caused a minor upset recently by quitting Team Saxo Bank, owned and managed by former Tour de France winner Bjarne Riis, and many of their former teammates have followed suit.

O'Grady, a former winner of the gruelling Paris-Roubaix one-day classic, has also been instrumental in Saxo Bank's successes on the Tour de France in recent years, displaying leadership qualities in his role as road captain.

His experience on the world's biggest bike race, in which the younger of the Schleck siblings, Andy, has finished runner-up the past two years, is highly-valued.

"Stuart is a real legend and probably among the most phenomenal athletes of his generation," the new team's general manager Brian Nygaard said.

"He has won everything worth winning on the track, as well as an impressive list of victories on the road, topped off by claiming one of the most beautiful recent editions of the Paris-Roubaix."

"I enjoy the challenge of being road captain," O'Grady explained.

"It is not as easy as it sounds. I have to use my knowledge, to keep the 'young guns' cool, calm and collected when the going gets tough. I remind the guys to work as a team, to support each other, to respect each other, and to give 100 percent."

Though O'Grady will be entering his 17th year as a professional, he still has personal ambitions.

"Personally I want to have another big classics season," he revealed. "I have been a bit unlucky with injuries and broken bones since winning Roubaix in 2007. So it would be nice to win some big races with the team and of course help the Schlecks win the Tour de France!"

The Luxembourg Pro Cycling Project has recently signed several top names, including German trio Linus Gerdemann, Fabian Wegmann and Jens Voigt and Denmark's Jakob Fuglsang.

Italian sprinter Daniele Bennati has also joined.

Andy Schleck is likely to start the 2011 Tour de France as one of the big favourites, having finished runner-up to Spaniard Alberto Contador in 2009 and 2010.

Contador is currently provisionally suspended and awaiting word on a possible sanction after testing positive, during the 2010 race, for trace amounts of the banned weight loss/muscle building drug clenbuterol.

Team Leopard Racing is currently rumored to have been unable to secure a paying main sponsor for the team's 2011 season.

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Stuart O'Grady Signs with Team Leopard Racing - Nov 1, 2010 - 2:18:44 PM
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Team Sky Signs Former World Champion Michael Rogers

Cycling News

Team Sky Signs Former World Champion Michael Rogers

By Thomas A. Valentinsen
Nov 1, 2010 - 4:43:54 AM

Team Sky earlier today unveiled former World Time Trial Champion Michael Rogers as the team's sixth new signing for the 2011 season.

Team Sky earlier today unveiled Michael Rogers as the team's sixth new signing for the 2011 season.

The 30-year-old, three-time world time trial champion joins Team Sky after?successful seasons with Team HTC-Columbia, Team Quick Step?and Team T-Mobile and brings with him a wealth of stage racing experience as a Grand Tour veteran who has ridden nine Grand Tours.

Team Sky sports director Sean Yates told Roadcycling.com that he is delighted to have Rogers on board for 2011 and feels he can be a great role model for the younger riders on the team.

"Michael is a consummate professional and great addition to the team. He has proven himself in big races right throughout his career and that experience will be an invaluable asset to us," Yates commented and added "He takes his job as a bike rider seriously and the younger guys in the team will be able to learn a lot from him."??

A product of the Australian Institute of Sport, Rogers turned professional with Team Mapei in 2000 and two years later tasted his first major success at the Tour Down Under.

Further victories followed in 2003 at the Tour of Germany, Tour of Belgium and the Route du Sud, before he claimed the first of three consecutive world time trial champion rainbow jerseys in Hamilton, Canada.

After switching to T-Mobile in 2006, Rogers outlined his credentials as a Grand Tour contender with a top 10 finish in the Tour de France, and was in contention for the yellow jersey again in 2007 before sadly fracturing his collarbone on the descent of the Cormet de Roseland.

Numerous podium positions followed in 2008 and 2009, and in 2010 he won the Tour of Andalucia before becoming the first non-American to triumph at the Tour of California.

Michael Rogers is excited to begin this new chapter of his career with Team Sky and has no qualms about taking a central role within the team.

"I like the direction and general outlook of the team and am delighted to be here. Having ridden against them this year it was clear to see the team were learning and improving all the time and I expect that to continue next season," Rogers commented.

Rogers added "I already know a lot of guys in the squad so I'm expecting to settle in pretty quickly and am really looking forward to it. I've been lucky enough to ride with some great riders in the past and have learned a lot from them. If they want me to, I am more than happy to pass some of that experience along and I will do whatever I can to help the team's progression."

Michael Rogers is the fourth Australian to join Team Sky. His move follows the recent moves of Davide Appollonio, Jeremy Hunt, Alex Dowsett, Rigoberto Urán and Xabier Zandio.

Michael Rogers has signed with Team Sky for two years with a possible extension after the 2011 and 2012 seasons.

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Team Sky Signs Former World Champion Michael Rogers - Nov 1, 2010 - 4:43:54 AM
Team Sky Signs Jeremy Hunt and Davide Appollonio - Oct 28, 2010 - 2:54:47 AM
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Team Sky Adds Cioni and Vigano to 2010 Team Roster - Nov 19, 2009 - 5:40:00 AM

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Team Sky Signs Jeremy Hunt and Davide Appollonio

Cycling News

Team Sky Signs Jeremy Hunt and Davide Appollonio

By Thomas A. Valentinsen
Oct 28, 2010 - 2:54:47 AM

Team Sky has announced that it has signed Davide Appollonio and Jeremy Hunt for the 2011 season.

Both riders will be joining from Cervelo TestTeam and bring with them great talent and vast experience.

"Our two latest signings perfectly represent the mix of youth and experience which we are bringing to the team," Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford commented.

"Davide is a great talent and has already shown fantastic promise over the past two years with several race wins."

"Jeremy on the other hand, brings a wealth of experience with him which the younger riders will be able to benefit greatly from. His achievements speak for themselves and he is a well-respected rider within the peloton," Brailsford concluded.

The captures of Appollonio and Hunt follow Team Sky's recent signings of Rigoberto Urán, Xabier Zandio and Alex Dowsett.

Background info on Team Sky's two latest signings:

Jeremy Hunt, England:

Now in his 37th year, Hunt is joining Team Sky after 15 seasons as an elite pro cyclist. He began his career working for five-time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain at Banesto and enjoyed further spells at Big Mat, MBK, Cycle Collstrop and Crédit Agricole before joining?Cervélo TestTeam in 2009.

Along the way he scooped two British road race titles in 1997 and 2001, sealed hard-fought triumphs at the 2002 GP Ouest-France and 2007 Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise, and to date has a further 12 victories to his name.

Although predominantly a sprinter, Hunt is an equally adept one-day Classics rider and his unrelenting work-rate has seen him compete in Grand Tours four times.

Davide Appollonio, Italy:

At just 21 years of age, Appollonio is one of Italian cycling's brightest young talents and has enjoyed a fantastic first season in the professional ranks.

He outlined his credentials as a strong sprinter by finishing in fifth place at the Clasica de Almeria and achieved his first professional triumph by jumping clear of the bunch on the final stage of the Tour du Limousin.

That fine form continued into the GP de Fourmies, where he was narrowly pipped to victory by Roman Feillu, and Appollonio immediately followed that up with another second-placed sprint finish at the Tour de Vendée.

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Team Sky Signs Jeremy Hunt and Davide Appollonio - Oct 28, 2010 - 2:54:47 AM
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Chilled Wiggins Fired Up for 2010 Tour de France - Jan 7, 2010 - 8:10:04 AM
Ben Swift Joins Team Sky - Jan 4, 2010 - 12:01:03 PM
Bradley Wiggins Joins Team Sky - Dec 10, 2009 - 2:46:05 AM
Team Sky Hires Sean Yates - Nov 23, 2009 - 11:16:03 AM
Team Sky Adds Cioni and Vigano to 2010 Team Roster - Nov 19, 2009 - 5:40:00 AM
Team Sky Signs Three More Riders - Nov 16, 2009 - 7:12:19 AM

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The team signs Sky Jeremy Hunt and Davide Appollonio

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Cycling News

Team Sky Signs Jeremy Hunt and Davide Appollonio

By Thomas A. Valentinsen
Oct 28, 2010 - 2:54:47 AM

Team Sky has announced that it has signed Davide Appollonio and Jeremy Hunt for the 2011 season.

Both riders will be joining from Cervelo TestTeam and bring with them great talent and vast experience.

"Our two latest signings perfectly represent the mix of youth and experience which we are bringing to the team," Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford commented.

"Davide is a great talent and has already shown fantastic promise over the past two years with several race wins."

"Jeremy on the other hand, brings a wealth of experience with him which the younger riders will be able to benefit greatly from. His achievements speak for themselves and he is a well-respected rider within the peloton," Brailsford concluded.

The captures of Appollonio and Hunt follow Team Sky's recent signings of Rigoberto Urán, Xabier Zandio and Alex Dowsett.

Background info on Team Sky's two latest signings:

Jeremy Hunt, England:

Now in his 37th year, Hunt is joining Team Sky after 15 seasons as an elite pro cyclist. He began his career working for five-time Tour de France winner Miguel Indurain at Banesto and enjoyed further spells at Big Mat, MBK, Cycle Collstrop and Crédit Agricole before joining?Cervélo TestTeam in 2009.

Along the way he scooped two British road race titles in 1997 and 2001, sealed hard-fought triumphs at the 2002 GP Ouest-France and 2007 Grand Prix d'Ouverture La Marseillaise, and to date has a further 12 victories to his name.

Although predominantly a sprinter, Hunt is an equally adept one-day Classics rider and his unrelenting work-rate has seen him compete in Grand Tours four times.

Davide Appollonio, Italy:

At just 21 years of age, Appollonio is one of Italian cycling's brightest young talents and has enjoyed a fantastic first season in the professional ranks.

He outlined his credentials as a strong sprinter by finishing in fifth place at the Clasica de Almeria and achieved his first professional triumph by jumping clear of the bunch on the final stage of the Tour du Limousin.

That fine form continued into the GP de Fourmies, where he was narrowly pipped to victory by Roman Feillu, and Appollonio immediately followed that up with another second-placed sprint finish at the Tour de Vendée.

Related articles

Team Sky Signs Jeremy Hunt and Davide Appollonio - Oct 28, 2010 - 2:54:47 AM
Team Sky Announces Three New Signings for 2011 - Sep 28, 2010 - 8:20:42 AM
Chilled Wiggins Fired Up for 2010 Tour de France - Jan 7, 2010 - 8:10:04 AM
Ben Swift Joins Team Sky - Jan 4, 2010 - 12:01:03 PM
Bradley Wiggins Joins Team Sky - Dec 10, 2009 - 2:46:05 AM
Team Sky Hires Sean Yates - Nov 23, 2009 - 11:16:03 AM
Team Sky Adds Cioni and Vigano to 2010 Team Roster - Nov 19, 2009 - 5:40:00 AM
Team Sky Signs Three More Riders - Nov 16, 2009 - 7:12:19 AM

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