German road champion Gerald Ciolek has turned pro. Team Wiesenhof-Akud announced that the 19-year-old has finished his educational training at Ford Motor Company and can devote himself to riding full-time. "Ever since I won the title, the staff at Ford knew that I was a cyclist," said Ciolek. "They made it easy for me to ride stage races and to train, but they didn't cut me too much slack, especially when it came to exams." Ciolek, who is now attending a training camp in Mallorca and preparing himself for his first race of the season, Het Volk, said he's happy to have successfully completed his education. "Now my head is free and I can finally devote all my passion to cycling."
