Skil-Shimano 2011 line-up completed with Martin Reimer
23-year-old German cyclist Martin Reimer has transferred from the ProTour Cervélo TestTeam, which is closing its doors at the end of the 2010 season, to Dutch Pro Continental team Skil-Shimano. The team’s general manager Iwan Spekenbrink has announced that
Reimer will be the final new signing for the team.
"We have a lot of confidence in the team for next season," said Spekenbrink. "I can certainly say that on paper, this is the strongest squad we’ve ever had."
Reimer started his professional career with Cervélo in 2009, but was not among the many riders on the Swiss team to be invited to transfer to Team Garmin in 2011 along with the title sponsor.
Reimer became the German national champion in his first professional year and has taken four other podium finishes since. Like the team’s other signing this week, Matthieu Sprick, he will fortify Skil-Shimano’s sprint train and compete in the classics in
2011.
"We have invested in promising international talents, by signing the German Marcel Kittel, the Frenchmen Thomas Bonnin and Thomas Damuseau, and the Dutchman Ronan van Zandbeek, and the team has also been strengthened with Johannes Fröhlinger, Roger Kluge
and our latest two signings, Sprick and Reimer," said Spekenbrink.
Meanwhile, Dominique Cornu has gotten the short end of the stick, since the manager decided, after just one season, that the rider was not progressing. This is an interesting assertion since the 25-year-old Belgian was the third-best performer for the team
in 2010. The former Under-23 world time-trial champion is now seeking a last minute signing for the 2011 season.
"Lastly, we have extended the contracts of riders that have broken through, like Tom Veelers, Mitchell Docker and Alexandre Geniez, and of established riders in the team," said Spekenbrink. "In doing so, our main concern has been whether riders can improve
in our team and whether they fit into our philosophy."
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