German team in full preparation for 2012 season
German Team NetApp was delighted to find out its application to yet again be a Professional Continental team in 2012 was accepted when the UCI announced the list of successful applicants this week.
The team stepped up to the second division of the sport this year and received invites to highly sought after races such as Paris-Roubaix, Tour of Suisse and Tour of California, something it will aim to do next year again.
“We are proud that we were able to convince the license commission on our first attempt in all points including ethics, administration, finances and sport. This will now help us in order to press ahead with our planning for 2012. We are entering the new season with great confidence,” comments Team Manager Ralph Denk.
The team will keep its core group of riders such as Jan Barta and Leopold König, although South African Daryl Impey moves to new team GreenEdge. Steven Cozza has spent most of the year on the sidelines due to illness but is currently on the road to recovery and will return for the 2012 season.
New additions will be German Markus Eichler, Jerome Baugnies from Topsport Vlaanderen-Mercator, Reto Hollenstein, Grischa Janorschke, Blaz Jarc and André Schulze. Team NetApp’s ambitions are once again to take part in some of the biggest races on the calendar.
“The planning of the squad is nearly completed. All riders will meet first time in December for a ten day training camp. The early allocation of the license, our squad and our successes from this season now need to be converted into an ambitious race calendar. We are already in talks with all race organizers to position ourselves for invitations to the most important races,” Denk added.
Team NetApp 2012
Jan Barta (CZE), Jerome Baugnies (BEL), Cesare Benedetti (ITA), Steven Cozza (USA), Andreas Dietziker (SUI), Markus Eichler (GER), Reto Hollenstein (SUI), Bartosz Huzarski (POL), Grischa Janorschke (GER),Blaz Jarc (SLO), Leopold König (CZE), Andreas Schillinger (GER), Daniel Schorn (AUT), André Schulze (GER), Michael Schwarzmann (GER), Timon Seubert (GER)