Wiesenhof-AKUD signs three veterans

The German team Wiesenhof-Akud, which will be a Professional Continental Team next year, has signed three veterans, Torsten Schmidt, Gerhard Trampusch and Tomas Konecny. Schmidt recently announced that he was leaving Team Gerolsteiner after 6 years.

"He is a valuable addition for us," said Sport Director Jens Heppner. "A man who in his younger years finished the Giro and Tour in the same year, has potential. He will have the chance to ride for himself with us. That will give him an extra motivation."

The Austrian climber Trampusch has extended his contract for an additional year. "I felt well here last year and the fact that we are moving into the next higher league is an additional motivation for me," he said.

Konecny was last with Team T-Mobile. He missed most of the 2005 season while recovering from a severely broken leg suffered last off-season in an ice hockey game.

Team Wiesenhof-Akud 2006: Gerald Ciolek, Artur Gajek, Tim Klinger, Tomas Konecny, Christian Leben, Felix Odebrecht, Steffen Radochla, Robert Retschke, Torsten Schmidt, Marcel Sieberg, Corey Sweet, Lubor Tesar, Gerhard Trampusch, Lars Wackernagel, Carlo Westphal

Courtesy of Susan Westemeyer