Patrick Lefevere's ProTour squad Quick.Step-Innergetic has announced the re-signing of Andrea Tonti and Juan Manuel Gárate, further firming the squad's lineup for the 2008 season. Both Tonti and Garate have signed one year extensions with the Belgian squad, while Garate's contract includes options for further seasons.
"During the past few days at the Vuelta España," Lefevere said. "We have prolonged the contracts of Andrea Tonti and Juan Manuel Garate. Our team is already strong, but we are still moving there on the market to complete our roster."
Lefevere also confirmed the signing of Belgian Stijn Devolder and Italian Matteo Carrara for 2008. Devolder will return to a Belgian squad after his Discovery Channel squad shuts its doors at season's end, while 28 year-old Carrara will join the team from the Unibet.com team, which has been left to find a new sponsor for 2008 following the announcement Unibet.com will withdraw from cycling at season's end.
"We are satisfied with these two new arrivals," added Lefevere. "Both, Stijn and Matteo are entering in their sporting maturity. Their arrival strengthens and subsequently completes the team especially for the stages races."
The new signings takes the squad's 2008 roster to 24 riders, however Lefevere indicated that the team is not year finished shopping in the rider market.
Quick.Step-Innergetic's 2008 roster to date: Carlos Barredo, Paolo Bettini, Tom Boonen, Wilfried Cretskens, Steven De Jongh, Addy Engels, Mauro Facci, Juan Manuel Gárate, Dmitry Grabovskyy, Kevin Hulsmans, Alessandro Proni, Sébastien Rosseler, Leonardo Scarselli, Hubert Schwab, Kevin Seeldraeyers, Gert Steegmans, Matteo Tosatto, Andrea Tonti, Jurgen Van de Walle, Kevin Van Impe, Davide Viganò, Giovanni Visconti, Wouter Weylandt and Maarten Wynants.
