Brothers Andy and Fränk Schleck will ride on a new team based in their home country of Luxembourg next year. The two wrote nearly identical messages via Twitter to confirm their places.
"Next year, Andy and myself will be part of an amazing project based in our home country," wrote Fränk yesterday. "It will be The NEW BIG TEAM in professional cycling."
Andy wrote, "Next year, we will be part of an amazing project based in our home country. It will be The New Big Team in professional cycling."
They both also wrote "more news to follow in the coming month." However, the two may speak earlier as a new International Cycling Union (UCI) rule allows teams and riders to announce their plans for the following year August 1, one month earlier than previous years.
Dane Brian Nygaard will be the manager of the team, but he has been quiet regarding the team's supporting staff, riders and sponsors. However, he said two weeks ago the team's funding is coming with the help of Luxembourger Flavio Becca.
Nygaard told Danish newspaper Weekend Avisen, he is "an exceptional businessman who has spent months learning about most everything about professional cycling, as if it were any other commercial activity."
Becca is a real estate investor and first met Nygaard during the classics season in Belgium this April. At the time, Nygaard still worked as a press officer for Great Britain's team Sky. He left Sky in June, prior to the Tour de France.
Prior to Sky, Nygaard worked as a press officer for Dane Bjarne Riis at team CSC/Saxo Bank. At the team, he became friends with the Schlecks and Danish sports director, Kim Andersen.
Andy Schleck announced he and Fränk would leave Riis only days after finishing second to Spaniard Alberto Contador at the Tour de France. Riis and Andersen stopped their seven-year collaboration ahead of the Tour de France, when Riis realised Anderson's plans to work with Nygaard next year.
Along with the Schlecks, cyclists Brice Feillu (Vacansoleil), Linus Gerdemann (Milram), Stuart O'Grady, Jens Voigt and Jakob Fuglsang (Saxo Bank) are expected to join Nygaard's team.
Nygaard is applying to the UCI ProTour Council (UPTC) for a ProTour, or first division team licence. The UPTC will award the licences on November 20.
Riis' ProTour licence is valid through 2011. He lost the Schlecks, but announced August 3 that he signed Contador for the next two seasons, 2011 and 2012.
"We're set for something special next year," said Riis Friday. "I think there will be huge focus on Tour de France because Andy really has improved and is close to Alberto's level. We're set for a big show."