Management

RABOBANK (RAB) - NED

The Rabobank team is focused on results and ethics in 2008 after the arrival of new management and riders. Harold Knebel is the new team director from March, while Erik Breukink will continue as team manager, running the technical side of the UCI ProTour team.

Well known Dutch rider Michael Boogerd has now retired, so the hopes of the Rabobank team are now on the shoulders of strong time trialist Thomas Dekker and Russia’s Denis Menchov. Dekker’s stage victories in the Tour de Romandie and Tour de Suisse in 2007 show he has huge potential, while Menchov finally emerged by winning the Vuelta a España.

Three-time World Champion Oscar Freire won Milan-San Remo in 2007 and was fifth overall in the individual standings of the UCI ProTour. His fast sprint finish means he is a threat in many of the UCI ProTour one-day races and could challenge for the individual title if he shows more consistency. Other riders to watch in the strong Rabobank team are sprinter Graeme Brown, Pieter Weening, Joost Posthuma and Bauke Mollema, who joins from the Rabobank development squad.