Rasmussen and Pate join HTC-Columbia
The purge of Team Saxo Bank continues as the double Four Days of Dunkirk stage winner Alex Rasmussen transfers to HTC-Columbia. The team that also supports Mark Cavendish has further solidified their global domination in sprint specialization
with the announcement of the addition of the Danish sprinter, as well as time-trialist Danny Pate. Rasmussen is looking forward to supporting Cavendish in his record-breaking sprint career.
“I have chosen them because I see some opportunities in the sprint,” said Rasmussen. “I see that I still have a lot to learn and this is the best team, so I believe I can learn much more in the coming years.”
The Dane has a soft spot for the spring classics and was disappointed when Saxo Bank did not send him to the Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders this season. He is also the reigning world champion of the Men’s Scratch at the UCI
Track World Championships. The scratch is the race which includes no points or intermediate sprints, relying solely on who finishes first, and Rasmussen has won the event twice, although he does not plan to compete in the Championships next season.
“It means a lot to have those two races in my sights and it makes the training in the dreary winter months a little more fun,” said Rasmussen. “The team has a Danish directeur sportif, and that means a lot. And it is a great team and there are very many
exciting things about the team. Also the salary is better, that also means a lot.”
Pate is coming to the team after spending four years with Garmin-Transitions. The American cyclist won the national Under-23 championships in road racing and time-trial before going Pro. He was selected for the Tour de France and the Giro d’Italia in 2008
and 2009, but this season he found he no longer had the same goals as the team.
"I had a great time with Garmin-Transitions in 2008 and 2009, but in the middle of this season I realised things had changed and I needed a change,” said Pate. “So when the chance came to sign with HTC Columbia, I had no doubts that that's where I wanted
to be. I have experience, but I also know I can still improve. I am really looking forward to this new episode in my career."
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