30-11-2009 10:29:36

The sense of excitement surrounding the 2010 season has been constantly high since the team meeting in Lucca held at the beginning of November. And the admissions received for top races have only served to further heighten this mood. The Mallorca Challenge will be Team NetApp's first appearance on the international cycling stage. Further race admissions were received from the Eschborn-Frankfurt City Loop and Bayern
Rundfahrt competitions. For this young Continental Team about to embark on
its first cycling season, it is a great honor to be allowed to participate in these top-class races.

“We have a very professional set up, but will be starting out as a Continental Team. This
status does not allow us to automatically take part in all of the coming year's races, which is
why we depend on invitations from the organizers. The fact that the international Mallorca
Challenge is our very first race is a wonderful challenge. It is, after all, our first major trial under professional conditions. And some of our riders are sure to feel a little daunted by this. But this is a totally normal state of affairs – the lads do not have much experience and will develop as they go along”, explains a smiling Jens Heppner, Sport Director for Team NetApp.
Team Manager Ralph Denk is also very pleased with the response received from event organizers: “We will exploit all the opportunities we are given and make waves throughout Europe. In its official report of the 2009 Tour de France, even the ASO itself described Team NetApp – then just 6 weeks old – as "proof of the German people’s sustained interest in cycling". What we have to do now, is try to fulfill all of these expectations”.

The newly-founded team can also count on the support of German race organizers. "A young, professional team needs a stage on which to present itself. We are very happy to be
providing this stage with our race and to thus be able to invest in the future of German cycling", says Bernd Moos-Achenbach, organizer of the Eschborn-Frankfurt City Loop.
“As organizer of the Bayern Rundfahrt, Germany's biggest stage race, it is important to us that we foster our connection with the state of Bavaria, its cycling talents and cycling
enthusiasts. Team NetApp represents this conviction in a highly professional manner. On
top of this, the team boasts experienced professionals in Huub Duyn and Eric Baumann.
But it is the participation of Andreas Schillinger, a true Bavarian, about which we are most
excited. This is simply a great combination”, exclaims Ewald Strohmeier, Director of the
Bayern Rundfahrt.
Artur Tabat, organizer of the one-day race Rund um Köln as well is happy about the
participation of Team NetApp at his race: “I’ve always been open-hearted for young cyclists
and I am very happy when young people turn into amazing athletes. It is fascinating for me
to see that some of them will have the chance at professional development thanks to
NetApp and its experienced team management. This team is passionate and enthusiastic
and has already generated a great deal of public interest – and I would like to use that to my advantage for my race. Team NetApp will definitely be competing at my race.”

The first race in February will also be the occasion on which Team NetApp's new website will be presented and the race calendar be made public.

Team NetApp's first races Dates Category
Mallorca Challenge February 7-11, 2010 ESP 1.1.

Rund um Köln April, 5, 2010 GER 1.1.
Eschborn-Frankfurt City Loop May 1, 2010 GER 1. HC

Internationale Bayern Rundfahrt May 26-30, 2010 GER 2. HC