August: time for stagiaires!

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After the greatest event of the cycling calendar has come to an end, top teams are already preparing for the next season, not only signing new riders but also thinking about the mid-term future. The month of August is when young riders are given a chance to prove themselves at the highest level as stagiaires.

Luxembourg team Leopard-Trek has taken German sprinter Rüdiger Selig under its wing, according to Bicicilismo. The 22-year-old, currently racing with Jenatec, has taken stage victories in the last two editions of the Tour de Berlin Espoir race, and finished in fourth place at the Berlin Prorace this spring, won by Marcel Kittel (Skil-Shimano). Selig is also German champion in the points race on track. Leopard-Trek is expected to hire more stagiaires for the remainder of the season.

George Bennett, 21, and Dale Parker, 19, will be racing for RadioShack as of August 9 at the Tour of Utah, according to Velochrono. New Zealander Bennett finished second in the Ronde de l'Isard this spring and is a gifted climber. Australian Parker also got second at the Tour of the Gila. Both come from the squad's reserve team Trek-Livestrong.

Another Australian rider, Lachlan Norris, will be riding the Tour of Utah as a stagiaire with HTC-Highroad. The 24-year-old rider of the Drapac Porsche team got fifthinf the Australian Road Championships last January. Originally a mountainbiker, he was Australian U23 champion in 2009.

Last but not least, Garmin-Cervélo will be welcoming American rider Danny Summerhill to its roster as of August 1. The national junior and U23 cyclo-cross champion comes from the squad's feeder team Chipotle Development and finished third in the 2010 Tour of China, as well as third of a stage in the recent Tour de Beauce.