Palma de Mallorca

Season opener for Gerdemann und Ciolek on Mallorca

Led by its new captains, Gerald Ciolek and Linus Gerdemann, the German ProTour Team MILRAM will start in the Mallorca Challenge (February 8-12/UCI 1.1).  The two stars of German cycling  celebrate the season debut at the five-day race series on the island along with two other high-quality newcomers, Fabian Wegmann and Markus Fothen.   While top sprinter Ciolek starts his 2009 season on Sunday at the opening stage at the harbor in Palma, his friend and teammate Linus Gerdemann will start in the MILRAM trikot for the first time the next day in Calla Millor.

„Even if it is the first race of the season and you don't really know where you stand, you still want to start well in the season,“ said MILRAM captain Gerald Ciolek.  „I trained a lot on Mallorca in January and at this timepoint feel very well prepared.  I am happy that we can finally start racing again.“

„Our goal is to win one of the day races,“ said Ralf Grabasch, who is making his first appearance as a Directeur Sportif for MILRAM after retiring as a rider. „The riders have prepared themselves optimally at both our team training camp on Mallorca and of course through the first race at the Tour Down Under in Australia.  We want to go into the race with a good spirit, strong teamwork and an aggressive riding style.“

In addition to the two MILRAM captains, Grabsch can also look to a choice of a total of 14 riders at the Mallorca series.  Newcomers Johannes Fröhlinger and Matthias Ruß, as well as allrounders Martin and Peter Velits and Classics specialist Markus Eichler will take on the Challenge as their first races of the 2009 season.

The Mallorca Challenge consists of five one-day races, held on five consecutive days.  „Every rider who is registered for the race can take part in whichever races he wants.  Riders who finish all five races are in an unofficial overall ranking,“ explained Ralf Grabsch. Team MILRAM's only other appearance in the race series on the vacation island was in 2007.



A thorough interview with Ralf Grabsch, Team MILRAM Directeur Sportif, on this subject can be found on www.team-milram.com.


Team MILRAM at the Mallorca Challenge:
Gerald Ciolek (GER/Ermatingen,SUI), Linus Gerdemann (GER/Kreuzlingen,SUI), Christian Knees (GER/Euskirchen), Markus Fothen (GER/Kaarst), Markus Eichler (GER/Mönchengladbach), Johannes Fröhlinger (GER/Freiburg), Martin Müller (GER/Berlin), Thomas Rohregger (AUT/Kramsach), Matthias Ruß (GER/Oberried), Ronny Scholz (GER/Herrenberg), Wim Stroetinga (NED/DC Oldeberkoop), Martin Velits (SVK/Riemst,BEL), Peter Velits (SVK/Riemst,BEL), Fabian Wegmann (GER/Freiburg)

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