Milram roster with seven young guns

13.12.2007 / Team Milram will start with a new management and a German license in the upcoming season. Former team manager Luigi Stanga was replaced by Gerrie van Gerwen after Stanga was accused to be involved in systematic doping during the time he managed Team Polti. Seven young riders signed with Milram for 2008. Erik Zabel and Alessandro Petacchi are the team leaders, a dissapointed Mirko Celistino retired.

Erik Zabel during the prologue of this years Tour de France (picture: Cyclingheroes)

Freshly formed and as a German equipe, Team Milram starts into the new season. The special focus in the coming year is on the young talents. With Martin and Peter Velits, Christian Kux, Artur Gajek, Dominik Roels, Luca Barla and Markus Eichler, seven young and talented riders were signed. Slovakian rider Peter Veilts is the current U 23 road race world champion and came over from Wiesenhof-Felt. All new Milram riders are under the age of 25 years old. Jochen Hahn joins the team as sport director and trainer.

Mirko Celestino is no longer part of the Milram squad although he had a contract until December 31, 2008. Celestino decide to quit cycling. Celstino said: "I have no motivation anymore." The 33 year old winner of the 1999 Giro di Lombardia continued by saying: "Its clear that I don't fit in the plans of the team anymore. I don't feel respect anymore."

2008 roster Milram

Astarloa, Igor (31) Spain, Barla, Luca (20) Italy, Diudia, Volodymyr (24) Ukraina
Eichler, Markus (25) Germany, Gajek, Artur (22) Germany, Ghisalberti, Sergio (28) Italy, Grabsch, Ralf (34) Germany, Grivko, Andrey (24) Ukraina, Haueisen, Dennis (29) Germany, Jurco, Matej (23) Slovakia, Knees, Christian (26) Germany,
Kux, Christian (22) Germany, Lancaster, Brett (28) Australia, Müller, Martin (33) Germany, Ongarato, Alberto (32) Italy, Petacchi, Alessandro (33) Italy, Poitschke, Enrico (38) Germany, Rigotto, Elia (25) Italy, Roels, Dominik (20) Germany, Sabatini, Fabio (22) Italy, Schröder, Björn (27) Germany, Schwager, Sebastian (23) Germany, Terpstra, Niki (23) Netherlands, Veltis, Martin (22) Slovakia, Veltis, Peter (22) Slovakia, Velo, Marco (33) Italy, Zabel, Erik (37) Germany

Team Management

Van Gerwen, Gerry - General Manager - Netherlands
Van Gerwen, Marlies - Director - Netherlands
Algeri, Vittorio - Sports Director - Italy
Bevilacqua, Antonio - Sport Director - Italy
Hahn, Jochen - Sports Director / Trainer - Germany
Pellicioli, Oscar - Sports Director - Italy
Liebregts, Raoul - HR Manager / Sports Director - Netherlands

Related stories