Maxime Monfort (HTC-Columbia)(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Domenik Klemme (Saxo Bank)(Image credit: Tim Van Wichelen)
Wouter Weylandt (Quick Step) at the start(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
The Luxembourg Pro Cycling Project has revealed three further signings, adding Maxime Monfort, Wouter Weylandt and Dominic Klemme to boost its strength for the cobbled and hilly classics.
Monfort joins the new Luxembourg team from HTC-Columbia, Weylandt moves from Quick Step and Klemme is one of the many riders to quit Saxo Bank for the new team.
"When I heard about the possibility of this team being created, I became very interested very quickly," Monfort said in a statement issued by his new team.
"Now I am extremely motivated by the idea of riding alongside such fantastic athletes in our attempt to win some of the Northern Classics and carry the yellow jersey to the Champs Elysées. Personally I would like to perform well in one-week tours and regain my Belgian National Time Trialling Championship 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."
26-year-old Weylandt won a stage in the Giro d'Italia this year and hopes to step out of Tom Boonen's shadow and have more opportunities in sprints.
"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 said.
"This is a good moment in my career to learn new things about cycling and see some new visions. 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."
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Klemme is still only 23 but showed his ability in the classics by finishing 14th in Paris-Roubaix while helping Fabian Cancellara win.
"I have worked with many of the team members in the past years, and believe that I will be able to develop myself further within its structure," Klemme said.
"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."
Nygaard happy with formation of new team
Team manager Brian Nygaard was pleased to announce the three further signings.
"Monfort is the perfect example of the all-rounder. He is able to excel in all types of races, on the flats or in the hills. He is really a team player and will be very valuable to the project," Nygaard said. "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.
"By signing Wouter, I think we have pulled off a real coup. 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. He can definitely grow into an even better rider for the spring classics.
"Dominic is coming of age and ready to move up to that next level. 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 Luxembourg team has already confirmed that Fränk and Andy Schleck will lead the team and has recently announced the signings of Daniele Bennati, Davide Viganò, Giacomo Nizzolo, Bruno Pires and Jens Voigt.
Tour of Flanders and Paris-Roubaix winner Fabian Cancellara is also expected to join the team after leaving Saxo Bank.
The team has applied for a ProTour licence and will use Trek bikes in 2011 but has yet to reveal a title sponsor.
Stephen is the most experienced member of the Cyclingnews team, having reported on professional cycling since 1994. He has been Head of News at Cyclingnews since 2022, before which he held the position of European editor since 2012 and previously worked for Reuters, Shift Active Media, and CyclingWeekly, among other publications.
