Interview of the week

Michael Schwarzmann: With Team NetApp to the ProTour

Michael Schwarzmann won't forget the year 2010 that easily. He is only 19 years old and has already signed his first contract as professional and got his vocational diploma "along the way". In the interview of the week, Michael shares his impressions of his first month as a cycling pro and his plans for the next years.

Cesare Benedetti: My first win for Team NetApp

At times, riders of Team NetApp are participating at smaller, so called "open" races. It's good to gain some distance from the daily training routine and does not involve enormous effort because this races are often held near the teambase in Kelmis. It happened again on Saturday 14th August, when Cesare Benedetti got the win at the Belgian race GP Plombières.

In the interview of the week, Cesare tells us something about the race in Belgium.

Alexander Meenhorst: The other teams feared us

Alex Meenhorst wins the second stage of the Tour Alsace and therewith reaches the second victory for Team NetApp. The season didn't work out as planned due to some injuries, so this win is even more important for Alex. In the interview of the week he is reporting about his great success and the working teamwork.

Andreas Dietziker: Support from Switzerland

The friendly Swiss has changed to Team NetApp 01st of July 2010. Andreas was riding for Team Vorarlberg-Corratec the first part of the season and won the Giro del Mendrisiotto for the second time in his career. He is regarded as a very experienced Allrounder who has already competed at great races such as the Tour de Suisse. Andreas will definitely be a strong support for the second part of the season and will surely bring a breath of fresh air to the team.

In the interview of the week Andreas tells us his reasons for the change and shares his goals for the upcoming months.

Jan Barta: Great success at the Czech Championships

Jan Bara finished second at the time trial of the Czech Championships in Kyjov last Friday and therefore won the first medal for Team NetApp. In the interview of the week he tells us about his success and his further goals for the season.

Huub Duyn: Now I only have to get race-hardened again

On the first stage of the Tour of Murcia Huub Duyn Huub Duyn was crashing badly when he hit a teamcar. He received sever injuries: nose three times broken, eye socket two times. After a 4,5h surgery in Cartagena the doctors told him that he has been lucky not to have lost part of his view or even his eye. Since the beginning of May he has started racing again. In the interview of the week he tells about his first races since his crash.

Ewald Strohmeier: Team NetApp showed a good performance at the Tour of Bavaria

The Tour of Bavaria 2010 ended a few days ago. For five long days 18 teams with altogether 126 riders showed exciting races and some great sport. They made this year's Tour of Bavaria to the greatest one in the 31-years history - even though the current times are everything but easy for cycling sport.

Who else could sum up better than race organizer Ewald Strohmeier. In the interview of the week draw a balance of the race and the performance of Team NetApp.

Andreas Schillinger: The highlight of the season

Andreas Schillinger is on good form at the moment. At the Grand Prix in Buchholz he rode in break away group for a long time on Ascension Day, sometimes at the head of the peloton by himself. Thereby he staked out third place in the sprint. He will probably looking forward to the Bayern Rundfahrt. In the interview of the week he explains why the race in Southeast of Germany is his personal highlight of the season.

Daniel Schorn: Comeback on trial

The season couldn't have started better for Daniel Schorn. After he showed a great performance at the Vuelta Murcia in early March, he could crown his improving condition with a stage win at the high class Tour de Normandie. At the same time this was the first great success of young Team NetApp and therefore a promising beginning for its first season. But on the last stage in the Normandy Daniel had bad luck and crashed. He broke the scaphoid bone of his right hand. Now he is back on his bike and trains with his team in Belgium - totally motivated to start racing again.

Eric Baumann: A laughing and a crying eye

At the Beverbeek Classic late February Eric Baumann crashed badly and broke the tibial plateau of his right leg. After that he had to stay in hospital, rehab and walk on crutches for long endless weeks.

After the first training kilometers Eric visited his team in Frankfurt the last weekend.

In the interview of the week Eric tells us about his time at home in Leizpig without riding his bike and his ambitions for his "second" start into the season.