Elk Haus to the Deutschland Tour

Team Elk Haus Simplon has received a wild card invitation to ride the Deutschland Tour this summer.

"Simply super," said Bernhard Rassinger, team manager of the Austrian Professional Continental team. "We have worked on this participation for a long time. We have had contact with [Tour organiser] Kai Rapp since the Österreich Tour last summer, when we did so well on the Kitzbüheler Horn.

"It is one of the big stage races and there are stages in Austria. But the most important aspect is that the Deutschland Tour is a good opportunity for my top riders; that opportunity was my main goal."

The other three wild cards have gone to the Professional Continental teams Wiesenhof-Felt, Skil-Shimano and Team Volksbank.