CSC signs Danish neo-pro

A new young Danish talent will be joining Team CSC next season: 20 year-old André Steensen will be the only neo-pro on the 2008 team roster when he will start racing on May 1. The youngster joins the ProTour team directed by Bjarne Riis coming from Danish Glud & Marstrand Horsens team.

In 2005, Steensen won the junior world ranking and this year took a third place in the Tour de l'Avenir, a race which requires all-round skills. "I'm most definitely a stage rider," Steensen said. "I do fine in the time trials and okay in the mountains as well. So I'm really hoping to do well in the shorter stage races and on the long term also in the Giro, the Tour and the Vuelta."

Sports director Kim Andersen is sure that Steensen will reveal the full extent of his talent in the future. "Of course we're all looking forward to seeing what André gets up to. He's at the very top of the junior world rankings, which does mean a certain amount of expectations. I'm well aware that as a junior you'll get far just by training more than the others, so it's up to him really to confirm his talent now. But I know he's got it and it's not just a case of a lot of training. He clearly proved that with his third place in Tour de l'Avenir this year," he said.

"It may take some time before you get anywhere after you become a senior and we're going to be very patient with him. André is the same age as Andy Schleck was when he came to Team CSC, so the main thing is for him to watch and learn," added Andersen.