German ProTour team presents roster in Dortmund : By Cycling News

Team Milram presented its official team roster on Thursday in Dortmund, Germany. The German ProTour team seeks a more successful 2010 season after accumulating only seven victories during their 2009 campaign. Once again, the team will be led by co-captains Linus Gerdemann and Gerald Ciolek.

The team features 24 riders from six nations, with two-thirds of them being German. There are five newcomers to the team, including Germans Roger Kluge and Dominik Nerz, Belgians Roy Sentjens and Wim de Vocht plus Australia’s Luke Roberts, currently in his homeland for the national championships.

From the snow of Dortmund, the team will head to balmier weather on the Spanish island of Mallorca for training. Team Milram’s first race of the year will be the Tour Down Under in Australia.

Photos By by Cyclingnews’ Susan Westemeyer

MILRAM’s Gerald Ciolek third in Hamburg

Hamburg: 16/08/2009

MILRAM’s Gerald Ciolek sprinted to third place in the 14th edition of the Vattenfall Cyclassics (UCI Category ProTour). After 216 kilometers with start and finish in Hamburg, he finished behind Tyler Farrar of Team Garmin-Slipstream and Dane Matti Breschel (Saxo Bank) in the mass sprint. His MILRAM teammates had done a lot of hard work to set things up and bring their sprinter into a good position.

“That is a very good success for our Team MILRAM”

Said Gerald Ciolek after the honors ceremony.

“On one hand, of course, there were two riders faster than me. But on the other hand, it not really a loss. That was my only my second race since the Tour de France. At times it was very difficult for me to go with the high tempo in the finale.”

It was the second podium place for him in the German ProTour race, after finishing third in 2007. MILRAM Team Manager Gerry van Gerwen was satisfied:

“Of course we would liked to have won here in the home area of our main sponsor. Our young team put in a super performance in this top classic and with the third place brought in an outstanding result. Our sport director Christian Henn worked the guys out tactically perfectly. The manner in which this success came to be gives us hope for the immediate future.”

Two riders marked much of the race. Spaniard Sergio de Lis of Team Euskaltel and Ukranian Yuriy Kirvtsov of Ag2r were one of the first attacks of the day. While the duo built up a lead of up to nine minutes, Team MILRAM and Team Columbia-HTC controlled the peloton. At the first crossing of the finish line in downtown Hamburg about 60km before the finale, the escapee’s gap had shrunk to about two minutes. After 170 kilometers in a break, the Spanish-Ukranian pair was caught and the teams with the favourites opened up the exciting finale.

Result:
1 Tyler Farrar (USA) Garmin-Slipstream 5:30:38
2 Matti Breschel (Den) Saxo Bank
3 Gerald Ciolek (Ger) Team MILRAM
4 Allan Davis (AUS) Quick Step
5 Koldo Fernandez (ESP) Euskaltel
6 Davide Vigano (ITA) Fuji
7 Daniele Bennati (ITA) Liquigas
8 Fabio Sabatini (ITA) Liquigas
9 Marco Bandiera (ITA) Lampre
10 Jacopo Guarnieri (ITA) Liquigas
…
67 Niki Terpstra (NED) Team MILRAM
72 Peter Wrolich (AUT) Team MILRAM + 42
73 Christian Knees (GER) Team MILRAM + 46
81 Johannes Fröhlinger (GER) Team MILRAM + 1:09
103 Martin Velits (SVK) Team MILRAM + 2:52
113 Markus Fothen (GER) Team MILRAM

The MILRAM line-up:
Gerald Ciolek (GER / Ermatingen,SUI), Markus Fothen (GER / Kaarst), Johannes Fröhlinger (GER / Freiburg im Breisgau), Christian Knees (GER / Euskirchen), Niki Terpstra (NED / Haarlem), Martin Velits (SVK / Riemst,BEL), Paul Voß (GER / Bielefeld), Peter Wrolich (AUT / Klagenfurt)

Directeur Sportif:
Christian Henn (GER)

Bialystok : 03/08/2009

In the second stage of the Tour of Poland (August 2-8/UCI Category ProTour), MILRAM’s sprinter Robert Förster sprinted to seventh place. The stage was marked by MILRAM’s Dominik Roels, who after a long escape was caught with only two km to go. The stage win after 219 km between Serock and Bialystok went to Italian Angelo Furlan of Team Lampre, who beat Jurgen Roelandts (Silence-Lotto) and Juan Jose Haedo (Saxo Bank) in the mass sprint.

“We were active all day and helped shape the stage,”

said Vittorio Algeri, Team MILRAM’s Directeur Sportif.

“Dominik Roels caught the right group at the right time and almost pulled off a surprise. Too bad that he wasn’t rewarded for his hard work. Robert Förster then tried it all in the sprint. We can be satisfied with results of today’s stage.”

Dominik Roels played an important role in this second stage. The MILRAM youngster belonged to a four-rider break group, which got away early and built up a lead of seven and a half minutes. When it looked like the quartet would pull off a surprise and take the win among themselves, the sprinters’ teams picked up their speed. Two km before the finish, Dominik Roels was finally caught. He had fought hard, along with Pole Bartlomiej Matysiak, to try to stay away to the end.

Result:
1 Angelo Furlan (ITA) Lampre 4:57:25
2 Jurgen Roelandts (BEL) Silence-Lotto
3 Juan José Haedo (ARG) Saxo Bank
4 Alexandre Usov (BLR) Cofidis
5 Graeme Brown (AUS) Rabobank
6 André Greipel (GER) Columbia-HTC
7 Robert Förster (GER) Team MILRAM
8 Sebastien Turgot (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom
9 Herve Duclos Lassalle (FRA) Cofidis
10 Aitor Gaidos Alonso (ESP) Euskaltel
…
59 Dominik Roels (GER) Team MILRAM
76 Martin Müller (GER) Team MILRAM
114 Björn Schröder (GER) Team MILRAM
126 Christian Kux (GER) Team MILRAM
129 Ronny Scholz (GER) Team MILRAM
130 Thomas Fothen (GER) Team MILRAM
138 Matthias Russ (GER) Team MILRAM

The MILRAM line-up:
Robert Förster (GER/ Markkleeberg), Thomas Fothen (GER/Neuss), Christian Kux (GER/Chemnitz), Martin Müller (GER/Berlin), Dominik Roels (GER/Köln), Matthias Russ (GER/Bad Cannstatt), Ronny Scholz (GER/Forst), Björn Schröder (GER/Berlin)

Directeur Sportif:
Vittorio Algeri (ITA)

The stages 2009:
02.08. Stage 1: Warschau (108 km)
03.08. Stage 2: Serock – Bialystok (219,1 km)
04.08. Stage 3: Bielsk Podlaski – Lublin (225,1 km)
05.08. Stage 4: Naleczów / Wojciechow – Rzeszów (239,7 km)
06.08. Stage 5: Strzyzów – Krynika-Zdrój (163 km)
07.08. Stage 6: Kroscienko nad Dunajcem – Zakopane (162,2 km)
08.08. Stage 7: Rabka Zdrój – Krakau (136,5 km)
Total distance: 1.253,6 km

Team MILRAM Newsflash

2.500 – 700 – 500 – 400 – 200 – 150 – are just only a few of the MILRAM numbers from the biggest cycling even in the world!

2.500 water bottles from sponsor Tacx will be used on the 21 stages of the Tour de France. The Tour squad of Team MILRAM use up to 120 of these water bottles, which are also greatly desired souvenirs, per day, depending upon the weather.

700 times during the Tour de France will bus driver “Iacho” (pronounced Yahoo) on the button of the espresso machine on the MILRAM team bus. Every time, a stream of the wonderfully delicious coffee flows into the little cup and brings an Italian moment to France.

500 of the equally popular caps will be used by Team MILRAM during their visit in France. Less than half of the cyan blue “casquettes” will land on the heads of the riders. They are much sought-after by the French children and cycling souvenir hunters.

400 baguettes from Yankee Germano. The Team MILRAM masseur prepares the lunch packets every morning. The Italian prepares a total of 400 baguettes with various MILRAM cheeses, like Sylt, Burlander, Reetdamer and Benjamin Gouda, to take care of the hunger of the team’s guests and personnel during the hour-long stages.

200 loads of laundry keep things clean. Whether it is the race clothing of the riders or the clothes of the MILRAM personnel, everything ends up in one of the three washing machines of soigneur Slawo. Together with his helper “Iacho”, he makes sure the MILRAM rider present a brilliant blue outfit from their clothing sponsor Le Coq Sportif.

150 High-tech tyres from sponsor Continental will be used by Team MILRAM during the Tour de France.

Over 35 carbon sets from Lightweight will be used. In addition, there are new tyres every day, depending on what to expect. MILRAM chef mechanic Jochen Lemade and his crew are always busy!!

Vittel: 16/07/2009

Team MILRAM just barely missed out on a podium place in the 12th stage of the Tour de France. After 211.5 kilometers from Tonnerre to Vittel, Markus Fothen sprinted across the finish line as the third in a chase group behind stage winner Nicki Sörensen (Saxo Bank), to finish fourth. In the sprint for second place, the MILRAM rider finished behind only Laurent Levefre (Bbox Bouygues-Telecom) and Italian Franco Pellizotti (Liquigas). The main field, which could only claim the eighth place, came in 5:58 minutes later, led by Mark Cavendish (Columbia). There were no changes in the top of the overall rankings. Rinaldo Nocentini (AG2r) continues to hold the lead going into the upcoming difficult stages.

“Today we had planned to be in the decisive group. After we had been in every group to go, I was lucky enough to be in the right one,” said Markus Fothen.

“In the finale we waited at first, when Nicki Sörensen attacked. Unfortunately we waited too long. But I tried everything today. It wasn’t enough for a place in the top three, but I am still very satisfied with myself,”

the MILRAM rider continued.

After a fast and at times hectic start, the seven-man strong group formed after about 100 km. The group around Markus Fothen dominated the rest of the stage and was able to stay away for the win. An early move in the fight for the stage win was made with 22 km to go, when Nicki Sörensen opened the finale with an attack. Only Sylvain Calzati of Agritubel was able to follow the Dane at that time, but had to let him go five km before the finish, when Sörensen again attacked and went for his solo win. The chase group around MILRAM’s Markus Fothn came to the finish 48 seconds later.

Result:
1 Nicki Sörensen (DEN) Saxo Bank 4:52:24
2 Laurent Lefevre (FRA) Bbox Bouygues Telecom + 48
3 Franco Pellizotti (ITA) Liquigas
4 Markus Fothen (GER) Team MILRAM
5 Egoi Martinez (ESP) Euskaltel
6 Sylvain Calzati (FRA) Agritubel
7 Remi Pauriol (FRA) Cofidis + 1:33
8 Mark Cavendish (GBR) Columbia-HTC + 5:58
9 Thor Hushovd (NOR) Cervelo TestTeam
10 Marco Bandiera (ITA) Lampre
…
34 Christian Knees (GER) Team MILRAM
39 Peter Wrolich (AUT) Team MILRAM
43 Linus Gerdemann (GER) Team MILRAM
70 Peter Velits (SVK) Team MILRAM
84 Johannes Fröhlinger (GER) Team MILRAM
107 Fabian Wegmann (GER) Team MILRAM
119 Gerald Ciolek (GER) Team MILRAM
149 Niki Terpstra (NED) Team MILRAM

The stages 2009:
4.07. Etappe 1 : Monaco – Monaco (15,5 km / EZF)
5.07. Etappe 2: Monaco – Brignoles (187 km)
6.07. Etappe 3: Marseille – La Grande-Motte (196,5 km)
7.07. Etappe 4: Montpellier – Montpellier (39 km / MZF)
8.07. Etappe 5: Le Cap d’Agde – Perpignan (196,5 km)
9.07. Etappe 6: Gérone – Barcelone (181,5 km)
10.07. Etappe 7: Barcelone – Andorre Arcalis (224 km)
11.07. Etappe 8: Andorre-la-Vieille – Saint-Girons (176,5 km)
12.07. Etappe 9: Saint-Gaudens – Tarbes (160,5 km)
13.07. Ruhetag in Limoges
14.07. Etappe 10: Limoges – Issoudun (194,5 km)
15.07. Etappe 11: Vatan – Saint-Fargeau (192 km)
16.07. Etappe 12: Tonnerre – Vittel (211,5 km)
17.07. Etappe 13: Vittel – Colmar (200 km)
18.07. Etappe 14: Colmar – Besançon (199 km)
19.07. Etappe 15: Pontarlier – Verbier (207,5 km)
20.07. Ruhetag in Verbier
21.07. Etappe 16: Martigny – Bourg-Saint-Maurice (159 km)
22.07. Etappe 17: Bourg-Saint-Maurice – Le Grand-Bornand (169,5 km)
23.07. Etappe 18: Annecy – Annecy (40,5 km / EZF)
24.07. Etappe 19: Bourgoin-Jallieu – Aubenas (178 km)
25.07. Etappe 20: Montélimar – Mont Ventoux (167 km)
26.07. Etappe 21: Montereau-Fault-Yonne – Paris Champs-Élysées (164 km)
Total distance: 3445km

The Team MILRAM at the Tour de France:
Gerald Ciolek (22 / GER / Ermatingen,SUI), Markus Fothen (27 / GER / Kaarst), Johannes Fröhlinger (24 / GER / Freiburg im Breisgau), Linus Gerdemann (26 / GER / Kreuzlingen,SUI), Christian Knees (28 /GER / Euskirchen), Niki Terpstra (25 / NED / Haarlem), Peter Velits (24 / SVK / Riemst, BEL), Fabian Wegmann (29 / GER / Freiburg im Breisgau), Peter Wrolich (35 / AUT / Klagenfurt)

Directeur Sportif:
Christian Henn (GER / Heidelberg)

Assistant Directeur Sportif:
Raoul Liebregts (NED / Sint Oedenrode)

Found this nifty article By James Huang, Technical Editor for Bike Radar regarding Team Milrams Mechanics.

Milram mechanics go to the tape

Cycling fans generally think of ProTour race bikes as exquisitely tuned and white-glove-clean with cutting-edge engineering and a good dose of black magic tossed in for good measure. For the most part that holds true (the top-level mechanics do truly extraordinary work that deserves more recognition than it receives) but even the best cared-for examples are occasionally shod with a few extra zip ties and electrical tape (see below).

Milram’s mechanics were surprisingly light-hearted just prior to the team time trial start in Montpellier, their work completed in advance with everything checked and double-checked and everything generally in order. In fact, about the only thing left for the mechanics to do (apart from loading into follow cars in the event of a mishap, of course) was tape over the valve access holes in the team’s Lightweight rear disc wheels.

A team mechanic seals the valve access hole with white tape, then draws in the spokes with a marker. not a shabby job, either, considering he was doing the work freehand and with an upside-down view.

Instead of just using fat pieces of white tape to match the disc surface’s base colour, though, team mechanic Filip [sorry, we don't know his surname and weren't able to obtain it prior to posting time] was hand drawing in the missing black lines normally seen on the rest of the wheel – an unnecessary extra perhaps but still a nice finishing touch.

More tape (this time black) was found covering up the mounting bolt for the rear derailleur hanger and the exit point at the top tube for the aft section of rear brake housing. Filip had disappeared by the time we noticed it so we couldn’t ask what they were for but they’re intriguing nonetheless. A fraction of a gram less drag? Cosmetics? We’ll look into it and report back.

Milram rider continues to show good form after Dauphiné stage win. Niki Terpstra (Team Milram) leads Ster Elektrotoer following the opening stage.

Niki Terpstra (Milram) powered to the victory in the prologue of the Ster Elektrotoer with a blistering 51.86 km/h effort over the parcours in the centre of Gement. The Dutchman donned his second yellow jersey in a week after his stage win and stint in the leader’s jersey at the Dauphiné.

“Apparently, yellow is my colour,” joked the Dutchman. “I will try to defend the jersey – I can, because we have a good team.”

Terpstra leads his compatriot Lieuwe Westra (Vacansoleil) by two seconds in the general classification. Westra had his own success in France before coming to the Tour, having won the Tour de Picardie last month.

In third was Piet Rooijakkers (Skil-Shimano), with Quick Step’s Tom Boonen following in fourth.

More photos:

St. Etienne: 09/06/2009

Niki Terpstra has taken over the yellow jersey of the overall lead with his victory of the third stage of the Dauphine Libere. After 182 kilometres from Tournus to St. Etienne, the Dutch MILRAM rider won the sprint of a breakaway of five in front of Ludovich Turpin (AG2r) and Yuri Trofimov of Team Bouygues Telecom-BBox. Thanks to an advantage of 1:32 minutes to the peloton in the finish, Niki Terpstra took over the leader’s jersey from Cadel Evans (Silence-Lotto). Christian Knees finished tenth again in St. Etienne, while Paul Voss was 13th.

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Gippingen: 07/06/2009

MILRAM rider Peter Velits has topped off the strong showings of his team with a victory at the GP Kanton Aargau (UCI category 1.HC) on Sunday. After the German ProTour team placed three riders in the Top Ten at the GP Triberg-Schwarzwald on Saturday with Johannes Fröhlinger (third), Peter Velits (eighth) and Peter Wrolich (tenth), the 24-year-old Slovakian putt he icing on the cake with his win in Switzerland, relegating Jan Baekelants (Topsport Vlaanderen) and Heinrich Haussler (Cervelo TestTeam) to second and third respectively.

“Peter Velits attacked on the last climb, nine kilometres from the finish, and was off the front on his own at first,”

said Ralf Grabsch, Team MILRAM Sports Director.

“Jan Baekelants was able to bridge up to Velits. The two then raced with only 12 seconds advantage to the reduced field. With two kilometres to go, the chasers disagreed, which was what we had hoped for. Peter Velits then took advantage of the situation. We rode a top race yesterday already and could do even better today. Our team works together brilliantly and we are finally rewarded for our efforts. These two races this week-end make us very hopeful for the next important events before the Tour de France.”

At the GP Kanton Aargau, a challenging 19.6km-long course around the town of Gippingen was raced a total of ten times. On the last lap, MILRAM rider Peter Velits attacked out of a reduced bunch of about 40 riders. Only Jan Baekelants of Team Topsport Vlaanderen succeeded in bridging up to the 24-year-old. At first, the Cervelo TestTeam organised the chasing. But two kilometres off the finish line, the chasers hesitated for a moment until team Agritubel took over the pace making. The two leaders profited of this dissent and were able to take their small lead to the finish. For Peter Velits, this is his first victory since he signed with the German ProTour team in 2008.

The Team MILRAM roster:
Gerald Ciolek (GER/Ermatingen,SUI), Markus Eichler (GER/Mönchengladbach), Johannes Fröhlinger (GER/Freiburg), Artur Gajek (GER/Bergisch Gladbach), Ronny Scholz (GER/Herrenberg), Wim Stroetinga (NED/Oldeberkoop), Peter Velits (SVK/Riemst,BEL), Peter Wrolich (AUT, Klagenfurt)

Sports Director:
Ralf Grabsch (GER)

Gunzenhausen: 31/05/2009

MILRAM captain Linus Gerdemann won the Internationale Bayern Rundfahrt (May 27-31/UCI category 2.HC) and given his team its second overall win in the race after Christian Knees won it last year. The 26-year-old used a finish in the main field to defend his ten-second lead over Maxime Monfort (Columbia) and to take his first overall victory in this important German stage race.

Gerdemann’s teammate Gerald Ciolek sprinted to fourth place in the closing stage after 166 kilometers between Friedberg and Gunzenhausen. The day’s victory went to Andre Greipel (Columbia).

“I am overjoyed to have won such an important race for us. I thank my teammates, who worked very hard for five days for our mutual success,“ said a happy Linus Gerdemann after the winner’s ceremony. I would also like to race organizer Ewald Strohmeier for the perfect organization.”

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