There’s still no indication when the title sponsor will be revealed, but the rider lineup continues to be unveiled, little by little, for the new Luxembourg pro squad. Andy and Frank Schleck will be joined by a further three riders – the Belgians Wouter Weylandt and Maxime Monfort, plus the German rider Dominic Klemme.
According to the team, these three will “add important layers of value and skill at all levels of the Luxembourg team’s campaigns: one day, one week and three week races throughout the season.”
Monfort got the go ahead from the team to pre-empt the latest announcement, the rider speaking about his signing on his own website. Team manager Brian Nygaard is expecting him to play a big role in the team’s successes.
“He is the perfect example of the all-rounder,” he said. “He is able to excel in all types of races, on the flats or in the hills. [Also] he is really a team player and will be very valuable to the project. Whether he is working for individual results or for team results, he is the type of rider that is strong the whole year long. That says a lot about his character and about how seriously he takes his job.”
The rider has personal goals in mind, but is also aware that he can bring a lot to the team, helping it to succeed and also to develop.
“Personally, I would like to perform well in one week tours and regain my Belgian national time trial champion title,” he said, then talked about those other targets. “But also after seven years in the peloton, I think I do have a certain experience which I will be happy to share with the younger riders on the team, too.”
He’s a strong all rounder and knows that he should be an important asset for the Schleck brothers. “When I heard about the possibility of this team being created, I became very interested very quickly. I am extremely motivated by the idea of riding alongside such fantastic athletes in our attempt to win some of the Northern Classics and indeed carry the yellow jersey to the Champs Elysées.
Two others to add to the team’s power:
With Tom Boonen out of action for much of this season due to knee problems, Weylandt stepped up to the mark and helped keep the Quick Step team in the headlines. He’s fully over his own injury concerns and now wants to see what he can do; not just in the sprints, but also in races like Paris-Roubaix and the Tour of Flanders.
“He is young but won a stage each in the Giro and Vuelta this year, and both stages were brutal days, not at all tailor-made for a sprinter,” said Nygaard, pointing out that he has the ability to win in a broader range of races. “He has astounding natural ability and a great attitude. He can definitely grow into an even better rider for the spring Classics.”
The 26 year old has been with the Quick Step team for the past seven and a half years, and as a result he is really making a big change. It’s a step in the dark, to an extent, but also something which could prove invaluable in helping him to develop.
“I've chosen this team because it's a new project so everybody will be super motivated; after more than six years in the same team, it will be good for me to have some fresh air and new people around me,” he explained. “This is a good moment in my career to learn new things about cycling and see some new visions.”
He also wants to branch out a little, chasing other goals too. “I want to show that I’m more than a regular sprinter. After two winters of dealing with knee problems I want to prove that I’m able to have good results and performances in the classics.”
“By signing Wouter, I think we have pulled off a real coup,” said Nygaard, clearly excited by the deal.
Former Saxo Bank rider Dominic Klemme will also be a rider for the big spring races. “Next season I definitely want to get some results in the Classics; I’m really looking forward to the opportunity and am very lucky to be a part of this team,” he said. The 23 year old is motivated after a fine showing in Paris-Roubaix this year, where he helped Fabian Cancellara win but still had the strength to pick up14th overall in the race.
He is another to travel with the Schleck brothers from their current team to the new setup.
“Dominic is coming of age and ready to move up to that next level,” said Nygaard. “He has been quietly developing his talent in a way that suits him and means that he will become a very valued member of our team.”
The squad has confirmed several riders thus far, including the Schleck brothers, Daniele Bennati, Davide Viganò, Giacomo Nizzolo, Bruno Pires and Jens Voigt. Ohers such as Jakob Fuglsang, Stuart O’Grady and Linus Gerdemann are expected to be confirmed soon. Some speculation also links world time trial champion Fabian Cancellara to the team, but others such as Pegasus Racing and BMC Racing Team are also known to be keen.
Nygaard has also confirmed that Leopard True Racing is the name of the holding company for the pending licence, not the team itself. “Leopard True Racing is the name of the project behind our new squad,” he clarified to Wort.lu. “The name of this structure can not be confused with the actual teams. Both are different things.”