German champion becomes latest Pegasus refugee to find a home in a ProTeam
German champion Christian Knees has signed a contract with Team Sky for 2011, the team announced today. The 29-year-old was supposed to be racing with the Pegasus team this year, but has become the latest rider to find another team after the Australian outfit failed to secure Professional Continental status.
“Christian is a super strong all-rounder who has had some terrific results,” explained Sky’s team principle Dave Brailsford, “but I still don’t think we have seen the best of him yet and hopefully we can help him fulfil his massive potential at Team Sky.
“His personality is one that will fit well into the team and we are delighted to have such an experienced rider on board. He has a lot of capabilities in a lot of areas and will increase the depth of ability we have here. It’s exciting to have secured his services.”
After two years with Professional Continental team Wiesenhof, Knees signed with the newly created Team Milram in 2006, where he stayed until last year. With the German team unable to find a replacement sponsor it folded at the end of the year. Knees was apparently one of the lucky ones, who managed to secure a contract with the Australian team, which had ambitions for ProTeam status; after it failed in that quest, and then in its quest for Professional Continental status, it turned out that he was not so lucky after all.
Aside from his German championship title, Knees’ best results came in the 2008 season, when he won the Bayern-Rundfahrt and finished ninth overall in the Tour de Suisse.