As was the case with several riders last year, Bjarne Riis is continuing the policy of inviting amateurs to team training camps with a view to potentially taking some of them on board at a future point. New signing Chris Juul Jensen was one who followed that path last year and now has a pro deal with the team; this time round, five young Danish riders have the chance to join the Saxo Bank squad in Gran Canaria in January.
“As a Danish squad, it's important for us to view the level of the Danish talents and in this way we get to know several riders at the same time,” Riis explained.
Three of the five are currently part of the Glud & Marstrand LRØ continental team. The youngest of these is 19 year old Michael Valgren Andersen, fourth in the Danish under 23 road race championships and fifth in the time trial title. He is joined by team-mates Nicki Østergaard and Jesper Hansen, as well as Team TRE-FOR competitor Asbjørn Kragh Andersen. Nicola Aistrup is the fifth, and comes from the Team Concordia Forsikring lineup.
“Of course, we look at them as potential team riders and the talents may look at us as a potential future team,” said Riis, describing what the experience offers both. “The young riders get a peek inside the world of professional cycling and what it takes to get here.”
If things go well, the riders could be invited back to other camps during the year. Each pro team also takes on stagiaire riders from August onwards, and each of the five will hope that they will get one of the limited slots.
Of the quintets, Hansens is one of the most promising. His palmares includes a runner-up slot on the toughest stage of the 2011 Tour de l’Avenir and he’s excited about the chance to impress.
“It's going to be so cool joining Team Saxo Bank on their training camp where I can get an inside view of how they work,” he said. “Just to be around the powerful professionals you otherwise just get to watch on TV is going to be a thrill. At the same time, I'll be there to introduce myself and show my abilities.
“In the long run, I dream of doing one of the Grand Tours, where I can benefit from my climbing skills. But I'm just a rookie and I'm aware there's a long way to go and there's a lot to learn…that's what I intend to do on the training camp.”
Some of the Saxo Bank riders will begin their seasons at the Tour de San Luis in Argentina, while others will line out in the Santos Tour Down Under.
As for the five amateurs, they will return to their teams after the camp and seek to clock up the sort of results which would help in securing a pro contract with Riis’ squad.