Ronan Van Zandbeek (Skil-Shimano) was on the attack during the stage.(Image credit: Isabelle Duchesne)
It's a solo stage win for Frenchman Thomas Bonnin (French National Team)(Image credit: Riccardo Scanferla)
Salvatore Puccio (Italy) and David De La Cruz Melgarejo (Spain)(Image credit: Riccardo Scanferla)
The Argos-Shimano team announced today that it has decided not to renew the contracts of four riders: Dominic Klemme, Roger Kluge, Ronan van Zandbeek and Thomas Bonnin.
Kluge, a silver medalist in the points race in the 2008 Olympic Games, was just outside the medals in the 2012 Olympic Games omnium. However, on the road he has not been able to score any victories since joining the team. He has, however, been a key lead-out man for the team's other sprinters, Marcel Kittel and John Degenkolb.
"The team management has decided to not renew the contracts of these four riders because they not fully fit in the sportive image and the vision for 2013, as the team has in mind," the team stated on its website.
The BMC Racing Team announced the signing of Danish road champion Sebastian Lander, 21 from the Glud & Marstrand-LRØ team.
Lander has posted strong results this season, winning his national championships by besting the more experienced Nicki Sørensen, and taking a stage of the Coupe des Nations Ville de Saguenay.
"He's a good finisher and a puncheur, but also good in selective races like Liège-Bastogne-Liège Under 23 (a race in which he finished third in 2010)," said BMC directeur sportif John Lelangue. "We're not going to ask him to immediately make results. He'll be there to learn from our world champion and a past Tour de France winner and from our big classic guys. Those guys are there to make results and if they do, he'll learn from them."
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Team NetApp – Endura announced that it has signed David de la Cruz from Caja Rural, Portuguese rider José Mendes (LA Aluminios – Antarte) and Ralf Matzka (Thüringer Energie Team).
"We were trying very hard to recruit David de la Cruz. Although he has only been racing for five years, he demonstrated his great talent this year. He placed second at the Vuelta a Asturias and in the top five at Castilla y Leon and the Tour of Portugal, so he will be a perfect addition to our squad. Our team already had a very solid lineup for tours, and now with David it's even better," said Team Manager Ralph Denk.
"With José Mendes we're adding an experienced all-rounder to the team who can deliver good results but who will primarily support the team," Denk adds.
"Ralf Matzka will strengthen us in terms of sprints. We have a very strong team in place for next year that will be able to set the pace on the run in to stage finishes and set our sprinters up to take the win in bunch sprints. Ralf demonstrated his explosive qualities in the U23, and this year he made our life difficult during a couple of stages. He has therefore earned the chance to prove his talent with the pros."
