Riders coming, going and staying put

The signings continue, with riders changing teams or staying with their old ones. Roy Sentjens is one of the stayers, having re-upped with Team Silence-Lotto. "The team made me a proposal and I will sign the new contract this week," he told GVA.be. "I know that places in the ProTour are very dear and so I am satisfied with this proposal."

Sentjens, 27, turned pro with Rabobank in 2002. He won Kuurne-Brussel-Kuurne in 2003. He joined Predictor-Lotto in 2007 and won the Druivenkoers that year. He is next scheduled to ride the Vuelta a España.

His Silence-Lotto team-mate Dominique Cornu will change from one Belgian ProTour team to the other. The 22 year-old announced that he has signed with Quick Step for the coming season.

"I am satisfied with the clarity about my future," he told sportwereld.be. "I could have stayed with Silence-Lotto but after two years, maybe it is better to make a change."

Cornu won a stage in the Giro del Capo this year, and was third in the Belgian national time trial championships. He has twice won both the junior and U-23 national time trial titles, and in 2006 was U23 World time trial champion. In addition, in 2006, he was Belgian champion in the individual pursuit on the track.

Fumiyuki Beppu has decided to stay with Skil-Shimano for another year. The 25 year-old rode for Discovery Channel for three years before joining Skil-Shimano this season.

The Japanese rider rode in both the road race and the time trial at the Olympic games in Beijing, and won the Asian road championship this spring. In 2006 he won both the national road and time trial titles.(SW)