German ProTour team can still look back on a successful spring despite the loss of numerous riders

Dortmund, 16. March 2010. The list of injured and sick riders at Team MILRAM continues to grow. On Tuesday, two MILRAM riders called in sick. Björn Schröder and his Austrian teammate Thomas Rohregger are both suffering from a feverish cold. Schröder will have to miss the Belgian one-day race Nokere Koerse on Wednesday, where he will be replaced by Dominik Roels, but Rohregger will have to miss the Vuelta a Catalunya and probably not be able to race again until the beginning of April.

Last week the German ProTour team lost three riders within a short period of time at the Italian race Tirreno-Adriatico. Worst off is former German champion Fabian Wegmann. Wegmann, who was pointedly preparing for the upcoming Classics, crashed and broke his collarbone, which will keep him out of action for up to five weeks. His teammates Johannes Fröhlinger and captain Linus Gerdemann had to leave the race with an intestinal infection. The series of bad luck began early in the season with Gerald Ciolek’s shoulder injury, which is still keeping him out of competition.

„The loss of Björn Schröder and Thomas Rohregger are further highlights of our sick list,“ according to Gerry van Gerwen. „We have never had so many injuries and illnesses. It’s an epidemic!“ However, the Dutch team manager can look back at the most successful spring since the team has existed. „That is certainly bothersome and we are weakened, but our riders are showing impressively this year that we are competitive. Four wins and multiple top ten finishes in first-class races emphasize the obvious upwards trend from the previous years. That makes us optimistic and I am sure that we will be able to compensate for the missing riders.“

Captain Gerald Ciolek is recovering from his shoulder operation in altitude training with physio Christian Neitzert, working on his comeback with cross-country skiing and rehabilitation exercises. Fabian Wegmann is at the beginning of his return to racing. He underwent a collarbone operation over the weekend, and should return to action in no sooner than a month. „Gerdemann, Fröhlinger and Rohregger will be fit again within a few days. Still it is irritating to lose three riders after our great start in Tirreno-Adriatico. We would probably have finished in the top ten.“

MILRAM captain Linus Gerdemann won the opening stage of the traditional stage race Tirreno-Adriactico and wore the leader’s blue jersey for two days. For the 2008 Tour of Germany winner, it was his second season victory after winning a race in the Mallorca challenge.

A further season victory came from Australian newcomer Luke Roberts. The former track Olympic winner, who lives near Cologne, Germany, won a stage at the Vuelta a Murcia and finished ninth overall. Artur Gajek won a difficult training race for pros on Mallorca.

The German ProTour team can point to seven top ten placings so far this season. „In the past few years we simply rode along in races too often. Now we fight for a top placing in every stage race. We enjoy that and hope to do more,“ said Gerry van Gerwen, happy despite the run of injuries. „I don’t even want to think about what it would be like if we didn’t have all these injuries and illnesses. The long-term losses of Gerald Ciolek and Fabian Wegmann hit us particularly hard. But that’s part of sport. We won’t give up and will continue fighting.“

In addition to Luke Roberts, ninth at the Vuelta a Murcia and fifth at the Tour Down Under, MILRAM can also boast of a number of top placings: Linus Gerdemann 9th at the Vuelta a Andalucia; Niki Terpstra 6th in the Tour of Oman: Roger Kluge 4th and best young rider at the Tour of Qatar; and Markus Fothen 10th at the Tour Down Under. Paul Voß did his share last weekend in Belgium by finishing sixth overall in the „Three Days of West Flanders“.

In the world rankings, MILRAM’s Luke Roberts is eighth in the individual rankings, with the German ProTour team currently seventh in the team rankings.