Bruyneel: Ullrich not to Discovery

Yesterday we reported that Spanish sports daily AS published a story in which they stated that Johan Bruyneel (DS Discovery Channel) offered Jan Ullrich a contract with his team Discovery Channel.

Yesterday evening Bruyneel denied that he offered Ullrich a contract by saying:  "I am currently not in any negotiations with Jan Ullrich to become a part of the Discovery Channel (team). Although I believe Jan is a world-class rider, our roster for 2007 is nearly complete and Jan will not be a part of our team." 

In our own report yesterday we already published that Ullrich's manager, Wolfgang Strohband also denied to have an offer from Discovery Channel.

Another neo-pro for CSC

Next year Chris Anker Sørensen will begin his professional career at Team CSC. The 22-year-old Danish rider has previously been a stagiaire on the team, and here he showed his big potential.

”It's a dream come true for me and I'm really looking forward to turn professional at Team CSC. After having been on the team for a short period last year, I had no doubt this was where I wanted to be. It's the best ProTour team in the World, but most importantly I felt comfortable and liked the atmosphere. Now I'll get a chance to develop in the best possible environment and I'm looking very much forward to learn a lot,” says Chris Anker.

”For a long time we have planned to get Chris on the team, cause we've never doubted his potential. He has delivered some solid results as an amateur and last year, when he was with the team, he showed us enough to get a contract with Team CSC. Of course he needs some time to develop, but I wouldn't be surprised if he already as a neo-pro made some good results,” says Bjarne Riis. 

Gerolsteiner signs Gerolsteiner

The Gerolsteiner squad signed the 21 year old neo-pro Johannes Fröhlinger  who is coming from the small German town Gerolsteiner. Fröhlinger was already a stagaire with the team this year and impressed with good climbing in the "3 Länder Tour" earlier this year. The contract is for two years and Fröhlinger comes over from the French U 23 squad FC Sarreguemines.

Lampre for Giro del Piemonte and Giro Lombardia

The following riders will take part in Giro del Piemonte (on Thursday the 12th of October): Daniele Bennati, Matteo Carrara, Claudio Corioni, Enrico Franzoi, Ruggero Marzoli, Danilo Napolitano, Mauro Santambrogio and Sylwester Szmyd.
Sport director Maurizio Piovani explained the team’s ambition: “ The riders that will be part of the team raced very well in the previous weeks. Part of the team made great performances in Paris-Tours, while Carrara and Marzoli obtained very good results in the Italian races: we can aim to obtain something big”.

Sport director Giuseppe Martinelli will led the following cyclists in Giro di Lombardia (on Saturday the 14th of October): Alessandro Ballan, Matteo Carrara, Claudio Corioni, Marco Marzano, Ruggero Marzoli, Morris Possoni, Mauro Santambrogio e Sylwester Szmyd.
Martinelli’s comments: “The whole team owns the qualities to realize a good race; if I have to underline some names, I can say that you have to pay attention to: Marzoli, because he’s in a very good form; Ballan, since he began to win in February and he’s still struggling with the best cyclists in every race; and Santambrogio for the growth that he showed in the last months”.

Robert Gesink six months sooner from Rabobank U 23 to Pro-Tour squad

Robert gesink, who already extended his contract with Rabobank with 2 years during the summer will join the Rabobank Pro-Tour team sooner as expected. It was planned that Gesink would join the Pro-Tour team in the summer of 2007 but because Gesink developed very well this season, the rider and the team agreed that Gesink will join the Pro-Tour squad of Rabobank in January.

Gesink won the general classification of the Settimana Ciclista Lombarda and the Circuito Montañes and was second of the overall at this years Tour de L'Avenir. Gesink is a very good climber and 20 years old.