Austrian Matthias Brandle of Geox-TMC joins NetApp for 2012 - Cycling Update
Geox-TMC squad’s Mathias Brandle reported that he will join the German Professional Continental team, NetApp, for the coming season. With the UCI Professional Continental team, Geox-TMC, announcing its demise, many riders had to look for new teams for the
2012 season.
After its main sponsor walked away, Geox team continuously struggled to find a replacement sponsor.
Team Manager Mauro Gianetti revealed that last week two potential sponsors were lined up to prevent the team’s termination but no further news appeared about the squad’s future.
The 21-year-old Austrian professional racer, Brandle, showed his all-round skills in the preceding season, when he took the overall second place in the Tour de Berlin.
He won his first Austria National Time Trial Championships in 2009, ahead of Andreas Graf and Michael Pichler.
He also put up an impressive performance in the bunch sprint and won the sprinter’s jersey in the Tour de Romandie.
In 2010, he won the GP Judendorf-Strassengel and also helped his teammate, Juan Jose Cobo, in Vuelta a Espana.
Previously, NetApp’s team member, Daniel Schorn, won the third stage of the Tour de Normandie, along with the second and the sixth stage of the Tour de Slovaquie.
NetApp’s Manager, Ralph Denk, told the media that the bike supplier, Simplon, played a significant role in finalising the contract with the young rider.
Mathias has powerful abilities that will enable him to show good performances in the Grand Tours. He is already looking forward to participating in Tour de France 2012.
Ralph Denk, pleased with Brandle, said, "Matthias is a perfect fit in terms of our concept. He's young but already brings with him skills that we will be able to make good use of in our tour team. He's a fast sprinter, a good time-trial rider, an active
rider. He can both support the team and take advantage of his own opportunities at smaller tours".
NetApp Team has already signed a number of cyclists, namely, Jan Barta, Cesare Benedetti, Matthias Brändle, Steven Cozza, Andreas Dietziker, Markus Eichler, Reto Hollenstein, Jerome Baugnies, Andreas Schillinger, Timon Seubert, Daniel Schorn, André Schulze
and Michael Schwarzmann.
It will be interesting to see, how Mathias will perform in his new team, especially in the Vuelta a Espana and the Tour de France in the next season.
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