Mitsubishi-MKG-Jartazi almost complete

The new Mitsubishi-MKG-Jartazi Continental Pro squad, successor to the Belgian Continental team Jartazi-Promo Fashion, has almost sealed its 2008 roster. Manager Patrick Stallaert has signed the following riders to his team: Yohan Cauquil, Mathieu Criquielion, Mathieu Drouilly, Grégory Habeaux, Vytautas Kaupas, Sven Nevens, Geert Omloop, Mindaugas Striska, Janek Tombak and Jarno Van Mingeroet (all from Jartazi-Promo Fashion), as well as Hans Dekkers, Frank Dressler, Kalle Kritt, Guennadi Mikhailov, Jens Mouris, Martial Ricci-Poggi, Stefan van Dijk, enfant terrible Frank Vandenbroucke, James Vanlandschoot and Maxime Vantomme.

A couple of places are still left to be filled, but will primarily be reserved for cyclo-cross riders. Former Jartazi rider Jan Soetens will leave the team, and Jurgen François is still in negotiations for a contract extension.

Manager Patrick Stallaert is also still in talks with potential sponsors for the new team, which will see its license shifted from Belgium to Estonia. Main sponsors Mitsubishi Motors and Jartazi have business interests in the region, and the UCI was open to create an Eastern European Continental Pro team, which is how the change came about.

As to the directeurs sportifs, Wim De Wolf and Jef Braeckevelt will be joined by another colleague in the next few weeks. One candidate is said to be QuickStep-Innergetic's retired rider Serge Baguet, who stopped his active career in September.