Next year's Skil-Shimano Pro Continental team will be reinforced with 26 year-old German René Weissinger, currently riding for Austrian-based team Volksbank-Ideal-Leingruber. Weissinger and the team reached an agreement for one year.
After a successful career as a junior and Under-23 rider, Weissinger took a break from cycling to complete his qualifications as a mechanical engineer. He returned to cycling two years ago, demonstrating his ability on the hills and small bunch sprints, achieving seven victories in 2005 including the Berner Rundfahrt in Switzerland. Weissinger also took a third place on a stage of the Settimana Begamasca and 10th in the GP Schwarzwald, as well as seventh place at this year's German road championships in Mannheim.
The Skil-Shimano team intends to sign some more Dutch and foreign riders before the start of next season.
Jamieson and Brammeier to CC Etupes
21 year-old Tasmanian cyclist Mark Jamieson, who rode for French Elite 2 team VC Evreux in 2005, will ride for another French Elite 2 team next season, CC Etupes. Also making the transfer is British rider Matthew Brammeier.
Jamieson, 2002 junior world pursuit champion and current Under-23 road time trial champion, recently finished sixth in the Under-23 world time trial championships in Madrid, which was won by Russian rider Mikhail Ignatiev.
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McCauley to Monex?
The Monex team has announced that its 2006 roster is almost finalized and includes the addition of top New Zealand rider Gordon McCauley. Team manager Roberto Gaggioli says the team is "excited" about the signing. "Gordon recently won the New Zealand National Championships and placed second in the TT," added Gaggioli, "We are proud of his accomplishments and look forward to the coming season."
However, McCauley himself said that the deal is not finalised: "I should point out that I have not signed with Monex," he told Cyclingnews. "I have been in talks with Monex for the last month or so, however no final agreement has been made and no contract has been signed."
