Tanner and Wagner make the move to Rabobank

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Australian David Tanner will leave his current Saxo Bank - Tinkoff Bank team at the end of this season, lining-up next year in the Dutch colours of the Rabobank outfit. Tanner has spent the past two seasons with Riis’s Saxo Bank team and has been a key member for the team’s sprinters while also proving a worthy rider in the tougher one-day races. Tanner is currently preparing for his UCI Road World’s debut for the Australian national team.

"My most important role will be supporting the sprinters, Theo Bos and Mark Renshaw," said Tanner. "At Saxo Bank I filled the lead-out role for Cooke, Haedo, and Cantwell. It’ll be nice to take that up to the next level."

Having recently completed his final World’s preparation at the Canadian WorldTour rounds at Grand Prix Cycliste de Québec and Montréal, Tanner showed his strength, finishing inside the top-20 and also being the first Saxo Bank - Tinkoff rider across the finish line in Québec.

"Those races suit me, I always feel good there. I can serve the team well there, but the most important thing is the lead-out train. I’ve spoken to Mark and Theo and I’m excited to get going. All in all, Rabobank is a very good team, I am happy to be here and to take things to the next level," Tanner told Rabosport.

Robert Wagner, a German who also speaks Dutch will join Tanner at Rabobank after he finishes with RadioShack-Nissan at the end of 2012. The 29-year-old is not a prolific winner, however his experience will be an important asset to the team. Wagner was the German national road champion in 2011 and while a capable sprinter himself, his job will be to bolster the strength of Rabobank’s lead out.

"I know what I can do. I am by my nature more of a helper. I mean, I actually pipped Theo once. But that just was on one of the two or three days in a year on which everything clicked. As a sprinter, you always have to be a killer. You have to have way more of those days in a year. Theo has shown that he can regularly win," said Wagner.

The ever-developing Bos was pleased in the two additions to the team and was looking forward to riding alongside the Australian and German rider in the coming year.

"This is one more good step in our development, the foundation is now stronger. Now we’ll be able to go for more sprints. I know Tanner from racing, and he’s quite a strong fella. He’s always where he needs to be. And Wagner will bring in a lot of experience. He has spent a lot of time in the leadout. Their arrival is just awesome," Bos said.