With a new management and a ten-man squad, the Merkur Cycling Team wants to build on the old class. The successful amateur racing team from Norderstedter Merkur Druck GmbH is starting the 2014 cycling season with a strong line-up led by former cycling pro Enrico Poitschke. The Tour de France participant and sporting director of the NetApp-Endura team is responsible for training management and organization with his company Rothaí Sports. As in previous years, the experienced personal trainer is available to advise the team members on training management. His employees and trainers take care of the logistical tasks, starting with the procurement and management of materials, through registration for the races, to operational planning.
“With his trainers and training plans, Enrico Poitschke has made a decisive contribution to the successes of the Merkur Cycling Team in recent years. Now we have decided to put the entire organization of our racing team in the hands of Rothaí Sports.", explains Markus Adam, managing director of the main sponsor Merkur Druck, who has organized the team in-house in recent years.
Markus Adam, himself an enthusiastic racing cyclist and marathon runner, had led the team to the top of national amateur cycling in recent years. Numerous victories are on the Merkur Cycling Team's list of successes. "The demands on the management of a successful racing team are increasing more and more and that's why I'm happy to hand over the tasks to Enrico. I'm happy to be the main sponsor with my company and I don't have to worry about the procurement of tubular tires and hotel rooms.", adds Markus Adam with a wink. “Moreover, a change in management always brings a boost in motivation. We want to use this together to find our way back to the old class.”
"We are confident that we can compete with this team at the highest level."
Main sponsor Markus Adam and the Rothaí Sports team are relying on a strong squad in the 2014 competition year. It is true that Beate Zanner will leave the Merkur Cycling Team and try her luck with the Thuringian women's racing team Maxx Solar, but even without the serial winner of recent years, the amateur racing team of Merkur Druck can look back on a promising year. In addition to Zanner, the two experienced players Jens Wilk and Thomas Jablonski are leaving the team. However, Jablonski is still at the start of selected races and is looking to leave the amateur scene in installments.
"We are confident that we can compete with this team at the highest level", says Enrico Poitschke happily. “We have strengthened the Merkur Cycling Team in a targeted manner and I am sure that we will continue the series of great successes. Harmony and cohesion are sensational. But above all, they all show the necessary bite to win races. Our goal is a place among the top 3 in the German Cycling Cup in all ratings.”
Three departures are offset by four newcomers. Thus, Markus Adam and Enrico Poitschke can build on a powerful squad. Alexander Loos from Coschütz, Stefan Räth from Berlin and Till Baltes from Gummersbach are new to the team. Christine Göldner takes over the vacated place of the only Radamazone in the team. The 51-year-old from Niedercunnersdorf took third place in the overall classification behind Beate Zanner in the German Cycling Cup last season and won the German Everyman Championship in her age group.
After a break from competition, Christine Göldner and her male teammates around team captain Daniel Knyss are already back in training. A joint training camp in March on the sunny island of Mallorca should provide the finishing touches. The starting signal for the 2014 season is given for Knyss & Co. at the Skoda Velodom as part of the cycling classic Around Cologne on Easter Monday (April 21, 2014).
//Merkur Cycling Team 2014
Till Baltes (born 1990), Manfred Böhm (born 1957), Christian Dengler (born 1978), Christine Göldner (born 1962), Daniel Knyss (born 1983), Alexander Loos (born 1988), Christoph Mönig (born 1984), Stefan Räth (born 1986), Friedrich Schweizer (born 1987), Bernd Weinhold (born 1961)