Austria’s Stefan Denifl, Australian Will Clarke, and Frenchman Brice Feillu will further bolster the powerful line-up of the Luxembourg team, while veteran Ukrainian Volodimir Gustov rejoins Bjarne Riis’ team along with talented Italian neo-pro Manuele Boaro.
Feillu won a stage in the 2009 Tour de France to Andorra Arcalis and rode for Vacansoleil this year.
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“I know several of the guys who have signed and they are fantastic colleagues which made it an easy choice to join them on this team,” Feillu said. “I’m not entirely sure about my personal objectives for the coming season, but I really want to be effective at putting myself in the service of the team.”
23-year-old Denifl rode for the Cervelo TestTeam in 2010 and is looking to develop further in 2011.
“I like the fact that it is a brand new team and I, as a young rider, can grow up along with the team in the next years,” he said. “I have started off well, but I still have to learn and improve. I want to do my job as a helper in the team as well as I can. There are so many good riders with a lot of experience, I only can profit and learn from them.”
Will Clarke rode came highly recommended by fellow Australian Stuart O’Grady and rode as a stagiaire in the final part of the season.
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“I had been racing in Belgium and then stayed with a friend in Monaco where I met Stuart O’Grady,” Clarke said. “I think O’Grady really helped me and pushed for me to win a spot on the team. To work with people like him and the other guys in the squad will be a huge learning opportunity for me.”
Riis rebuilds at Saxo Bank
Saxo Bank has lost many of its best riders to the Luxembourg Pro Cycling Project and team owner Bjarne Riis is trying to rebuild his squad.
33-year-old Gustov rode for Riis when the team was sponsored by CSC and is an experienced stage race domestique.
“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,” Gustov said.
22-year-old Manuele Boaro is a former Italian junior time trial champion and rode for the Zalf-Désirée-Fior team this year.
“I'm honoured to get this huge opportunity for the future Saxo Bank-SunGard. This is a dream come true and I'll do my very best to demonstrate my worth and to pay back the confidence that Bjarne is showing me by offering me this contract,” he said.
Stephen is one of the most experienced members of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. Before becoming Editor-at-large, he was Head of News at Cyclingnews. He has previously worked for Shift Active Media, Reuters and Cycling Weekly. He is a member of the Board of the Association Internationale des Journalistes du Cyclisme (AIJC).
