Brian Smith and Alex Sans Vega bolster Team NetApp–Endura management

German squad continues to prepare for big 2013 season

After the earlier confirmation that eight riders plus the main sponsor from this year’s Endura Racing team will move across to the NetApp setup in 2013, it has been announced that two of the management team from the Scottish team will also make the step.

Endura Racing general manager Brian Smith plus directeur sportif Alex Sans Vega will add their skills and input to the mix. In doing so, they join NetApp general manger Raph Denk, plus the directeur sportifs Jens Heppener and Enrico Poitschke.

Smith competed as a professional in the nineties, including with the Motorola team, and was twice British road race champion. His roles since then have included TV commentary for Eurosport, plus managing the Endura Racing squad.

Denk believes he will be an important addition in his role as assistant general manager. “Brian Smith will support the team with organizational planning and, in particular, with scouting activities for talented and up-and-coming riders,” he said.

“It’s important for our development that we also become professional with regard to scouting. Brian not only has a wealth of experience and a very good network at his disposal but, with Endura Racing, he’s also demonstrated a nose for talent.”

Sans Vega previously worked with the Cérvelo Test Team, plus other squads before that. Denk sees that experience as being invaluable.

“Alex will bring a great deal to our team because, as a sport director for the Endura Racing Team, he already knows a large part of our new squad. In addition, we can count on the experience he has gained from twenty Grand Tours.

“In terms of our Iberian riders and the races in southern Europe, he’s a valuable addition to Jens Heppner and Enrico Poitschke.”

The team will include many of the strongest riders from last year, including Giro d’Italia stage runners-up Bartosz Huzarski and Jan Barta. The latter took the time trial and overall victory in the Settimana Coppi e Bartali plus the Rund um Koln and, like the team itself, is determined to continue his progression.

The eight riders moving across from Endura Racing are former Tour of Ireland winner Russell Downing, Paul Voss, Zak Dempster, Jonathan McEvoy Iker Camano Ortuzar, Erick Rowsell, Scott Thwaites and Alexander Wetterhall.

NetApp – Endura 2013:

Jan Barta (27, CZE), Cesare Benedetti (25, ITA), Iker Camano Ortuzar (33, ESP), David de la Cruz (23, ESP), Zakkari Dempster (25, AUS), Russell Downing (34, GBR), Markus Eichler (30, GER), Bartosz Huzarski (32, POL), Blaz Jarc (24, SLO), Roger Kluge (25, GER), Leopold Koenig (24, CZE), Ralf Matzka (23, GER), Jonathan McEvoy (23, GBR), José Mendes (27, POR), Erick Rowsell (22, GBR), Andreas Schillinger (29, GER), Daniel Schorn (24, AUT), Michael Schwarzmann (21, GER), Scott Thwaites (22, GBR), Paul Voss (26, GER), Alexander Wetterhall (26, SWE)