Team Phonak has announced the signing of the best Swiss U23 rider at the 2005 World Championships. The young rider from Ticino, Steve Morabito (VC Mendrisio), 8th-place finisher in Madrid, was given a two-year contract by ARcycling AG, the company managing the ProTeam. "It's great that in spite of offers from other top teams Steve has decided in favour of us," manager John Lelangue said.
With the addition of Morabito, there are now 26 riders under contract for the new season: Aurélien Clerc (Sui), Martin Elmiger (Sui), Gregory Rast (Sui), Johann Tschopp (Sui), Alexandre Moos (Sui), Sascha Urweider (Sui), David Vitoria (Sui), Steve Zampieri (Sui), Florian Stalder (Sui), Steve Morabito (Sui), Axel Merckx (Bel), Koos Moerenhout (Hol), Luis Fernandez Oliveira (Spa), José Enrique Gutierrez (Spa), Ignacio Gutierrez (Spa), Miguel Martin Perdiguero (Spa), Santiago Botero (Col), Victor Hugo Peña (Col), Floyd Landis (USA), Jonathan Patrick McCarty (USA), Ryder Hesjedal (Can), Bert Grabsch (Ger), Nicolas Jalabert (Fra), Uros Murn (Slo), Robert Hunter (RSA) and Fabrizio Guidi (Ita).
