Milram leaves peloton on "sad and disappointed" note

It is with a sentiment of "sadness and disappointment" that Gerry Van Gerwen and the whole of the Team Milram management addressed a letter of goodbye to the cycling media. As the Nordmilch AG, the squad's sponsor, has pulled its support at the end of 2010, the management is looking back "on five years full of sports commitment, emotions and special moments.

"Unfortunately it wasn't possible to find a new title sponsor for the team. All the parties concerned, who love the cycling sport, are left with a feeling of sadness and disappointment."

But Van Gerwen also announced that he would continue an active search for sponsorship with a view to returning to the sport one day. "The Van Gerwen family will continue its commitment to international and especially German cycling. We will pursue the search for a new team sponsor and hope for a fast reunion in the peloton," the Dutchman noted.

Team Milram was formed in 2006 as an Italian team under the leadership of Gianluigi Stanga, with Van Gerwen as business manager. He took over the team and ProTour licence in 2008 and gave it a German base.

The team's biggest names over the years were Alessandro Petacchi and Erik Zabel (2006-2008), Igor Astarloa (2007-2008) and Linus Gerdemann (2009-2010). All riders combined, the team achieved five wins at the Giro d'Italia and six at the Vuelta a Espana, as well as taking Paris-Tours in 2007 with Petacchi.

The team's current stars, Linus Gerdemann and Fabian Wegmann, will be riding for the Luxembourg Pro Cycling Project next year. Gerald Ciolek and Niki Terpstra have found a new employer in Belgium with Quick Step. Johannes Fröhlinger and Robert Kluge have signed with Skil-Shimano.