Yet another Thüringer Energie rider joins the ProTour team
The HTC-Columbia team has signed John Degenkolb, the German under-23 champion on a two-year contract. The 21-year-old from Gera, Thüringen, in eastern Germany will be the third rider from the Continental Thüringer Energie Team after Tony Martin and Patrick Gretsch.
As well as the national under-23 championship, this year Degenkolb has won two stages of the Tour de Bretagne, two stages of the FDB Insurance Ras, a stage of the Tour Alsace, and a stage and the overall classification of the Thüringen Rundfahrt.
In 2008, aged just 19, Degenkolb took the bronze medal in the under-23 World Championships road race in Varese, Italy.
“I am very happy and I’m looking forward to the next two years with team HTC-Columbia,” said Degenkolb. “I have the feeling that I have the best conditions at this team, which is going to help me to develop. I am going to take advantage of that chance.”
Degenkolb is the latest rider in his early twenties to sign for HTC-Columbia; in 2010, 11 riders of the 28-strong roster are 25-years-old or younger. The team’s talented twenty-somethings include Martin, who is currently on course to win the Eneco Tour, and Mark Cavendish, who is widely regarded as the fastest sprinter in the World.
HTC-Columbia Team Manager Rolf Aldag is clearly looking forward to working with yet another young rider.
“John has remarkable talent and well developed tactical skills for his age,” said Aldag. “He will be a good addition to our classics team and is also able to be present in sprint finals. We look forward to helping him develop over the next few years.”