Cycling: Team NetApp-Endura has announced the contract extensions of seven riders, including time trial specialist Jan Barta and the two Germans Paul Voss and Andreas Schillinger.
From the coming season, the team will operate under the name of the new main sponsor Bora. The Canadian bicycle manufacturer Argon18 will most likely be the second title sponsor. In 2015, the team will again be equipped with a ProConti license and will start with a 20-strong team. So far, seven new additions are planned, mainly from German-speaking countries.
"The new drivers preferably come from the German-speaking area and strengthen us both in the classics and the tours", says team manager Ralph Denk.
While team leader Leopold König will probably leave the team in the direction of the WorldTour, the Raublinger team was able to retain seven other top performers. Czech time trial champion Jan Barta will stay for another three years. The 29-year-old impressed as third in the time trial at the Tour de France and was also the most active rider on the stage to London.
“One can rightly claim that Jan is one of the ten best time trialists in the world. He proved that on the Tour and the last World Championships. Over the next three years, we will work to further exploit its potential. Now it's time for the finer points, and they take time.", Denk justifies the long-term contract.
In addition, two of the German top performers, Paul Voss and Andreas Schillinger, extended their contracts. There are also the Irish sprinter Sam Bennett, the Australian Zak Dempster and the Austrian Daniel Schorn. With the Italian Cesare Benedetti, the Pole Bartosz Huzarski and the Portuguese Jose Mendes, three tour specialists also extended their contracts. "We definitely want to have such types of drivers in our team in the future", Denk justifies this decision.