Vorarlberg-Corratec confirms first two riders for 2011

Team Vorarlberg-Corratec has re-signed its first two riders for the 2011 season, with Josef Benetseder and Reto Hollenstein extending their contracts for another year. The Austrian team has also announced that it has applied for another Continental licence.

With these two riders, “we can continue to build around two important performers, who rode their strongest seasons in 2010 and want more,” said team manager Harald Morscher.

Benetseder, 27, has been with Team Vorarlberg-Corratec for six years. This year he won the best climber jersey at the Österreich Rundfahrt and took the overall title in the national series, Tchibo Top Rad Liga. He also won a stage at the Oberösterreich Rundfahrt.

“I want to try my luck once with the general classification at the Österreich Rundfahrt and finally show internationally that I can win this race,” he said.

Hollenstein, 25, hopes to “continually develop and work my way forward step by step.” The Swiss rider sees room for improvement in his time trialing ability and in his race tactics, calling those “the two things which cost me the top ten of the Österreich Rundfahrt this year.”

“Reto is a a complete rider, is very focussed and professional,” Morscher said. “He has great potential. He has the stuff to bring in top results in difficult races like the Österreich Rundfahrt, if he believes in himself.”

The team has confirmed it has applied for a Continental licence with the UCI. The team was downgraded from Professional Continental to Continental the middle of this year.