RadioShack announces three new signings
United States cycling team RadioShack announced that it had made three new signings for the 2011 season on Friday.
The team, led and co-owned by seven-time Tour de France winner Lance Armstrong, said that it had completed deals for Manuel Antonio Cardoso of Footon-Servetto, Michael Kwiatkowski from the Caja Rural Continental U23 team, and Jesse Sergent, a product of RadioShack's own U23 team Trek-Livestrong.
It has widely been speculated that American prospect Taylor Phinney, who also rides for Trek-Livestrong, would join RadioShack, but a deal has yet to be announced for the 20 year old.
"All three riders are classy riders. They have a lot of potential," team manager Johan Bruyneel said upon announcing the deals. "We believe in them. These talents will be well surrounded by our experienced riders. We need to work on the future of Team RadioShack and of cycling in general. This is a first step. Currently we are negotiating with other potential future riders for our 2011 team."
Two young talents, one more experienced rider
Sergent, 22, won the prologue of this year's Cascade Cycling Classic, the longest standing cycling race in the United States. The New Zealander joined Trek-Livestrong in 2008, and is now turning professional after serving as a stagiaire for RadioShack during part of the 2010 season.
Sergent also has several track riding successes to his name, having won the silver medal in the individual pursuit at the 2010 World Championships.
Twenty-year-old Kwiatkowski, a time trial specialist, is regarded as one of the brightest prospects in Polish cycling. His best result this season came in the Szlakiem Grodow Piastowskich in Poland, where he finished third.
Portugese rider Cardoso made his Tour de France debut this year, but was forced to pull out after picking up several injuries in a crash during the prologue. The 2009 National Road Race Champion of Portugal won Stage three of this year's Tour Down Under.
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