Toyota-United announces Pettyjohn, Moninger as new directors

American Continental squad Toyota-United has announced the departure of team director Harm Jansen and the signing of Len Pettyjohn and Scott Moninger to manage the squad in 2008. Jansen will see out his tenure with the squad at Thursday's World Criterium Championships in Las Vegas, having been with the team since its beginnings in 2005 and leading it to some 92 wins.

"This has been a very difficult decision because my heart is with cycling, but it is time to move on," said Jansen, the 2001 USPRO Champion. "These are two years I will obviously not forget. I was fortunate to be in a position to build this team to where it is today and I feel fortunate to have several choices of what I will do next."

Team owner Sean Tucker said the former Dutch National Champion's contributions to building and growing the team would not soon be forgotten. "He has been part of the Toyota-United Pro Cycling Team since the early days of its existence in 2005," explained Tucker. "His commitment to the program made the team an instant success and a force on the domestic circuit."

Coupled with the announcement of Jansen's departure was news that veteran team director Len Pettjohn will direct the squad in 2008 with newly retired former Team BMC professional Scott Moninger coming across as the team's assistant director. Greg LeMond, Davis Phinnel, Alexi Grewal and Moninger are among the names 66 year-old Pettyjohn has worked with during his extensive career directing domestic teams, including the Coors Lighting team during the early 90s.

"These two gentlemen have a 21-year history together," Tucker said. "No one is more qualified to lead a team than Len while Scott knows the races and the racers having just capped off a spectacular career of his own."

Prior to his retirement announcement last week, 41 year-old Moninger was the winningest active United States racer with some 275 victories to his name.

"I've considered a number of team offers over the past decade, but nothing remotely of the caliber that Toyota-United had to offer," Pettyjohn said. "For Scott and me to join such a high-level organization, with a world-class sponsor and a stellar group of riders that are a force in ProTour caliber races, is just exceptional."