Team Giant-Alpecin is pleased to announce that Max Kanter (GER), Jochem Hoekstra (NED) and Martijn Tusveld (NED) will be joining the team as stagiaires from August 1.

Kanter is recognized as a promising talent and comes over from LKT Team Brandenburg. The 18-year old will get the opportunity to gain his first WorldTour experience in the remainder of the season and will be part of Team Giant-Alpecin’s Development Program next season.

The German is considered an all-rounder with the potential to perform well in the classics. He put himself on the radar with strong showings in 2015, belonging to the best riders of his juniors class, winning the general classification at the Polish stage race Ville de Grudziadz and the Driedaagse van Axel. This year, at the Carpathian Couriers Race he finished third in the overall classification and top of the youth classification. He recently participated in the German U23 championships where he took eighth in the ITT.

Signing Kanter for the team’s Development Program as of next year is in line with the team’s aim to further grow and contribute to the development of German cycling from its roots. Indeed, next year the team will have in place a German-oriented Development Program with a base in Germany, offering talented young riders the support of a professional WorldTour structure and providing world class knowledge and experience from trainers, coaches and scientists.

Kanter said of this opportunity: „To have the chance to already ride this autumn a few races as a stagiaire with the WorldTour Program of the team before joining Team Giant-Alpecin’s Development Program next year was a surprise to me. I think it is very special to get a stagiaire contract in the first year of being an U23 rider. I’m really pleased and I think it is a great opportunity for me to develop and continue my learning process in the Development Program next year.“

Hoekstra, 23 years of age, is a strong rider with a big engine as he can ride well on all type of terrains. He has already notched up some good results, including winning the Ronde van Limburg and Omloop der Kempen in 2015. Hoekstra, who joins the team from Parkhotel Valkenburg CT, commented: „I am super happy with this step as I’ve been working hard to get an opportunity like this. Team Giant-Alpecin is a great team and to get the chance to join as a stagiaire makes me really proud. I am looking forward to showing my abilities and the second part of the season with the team is primary to learn and develop.“

The 22-year old Tusveld, currently with Rabobank Development Team has all-round capacities and can perform well in a variety of races. He already has shown strong results by finishing second at Paris-Tours Espoirs last year. In March of this year he won a stage and took second overall at the Istrian Spring Trophy, at the Tour de Normandie he raced to fourth overall and won the youth classification. „It’s a great opportunity for me to demonstrate my capabilities at WorldTour level and I am happy to make this next step with Team Giant-Alpecin,“ said Tusveld. „I believe in their philosophy and their way of working, and I am eager to contribute to this team and to show what I can do.“

Team Giant-Alpecin coach Marc Reef (NED) explained: „Talent development belongs to the core of our existence and our aim is to connect the world’s best talents to the team. Next to that we want to take responsibility for German cycling by focusing on grassroots development. Those two goals go hand in hand with signing Max [Kanter], who is a big talent. We are happy that he joins our Development Program next season with the aim to proceed to our WorldTour Program in the future.

„Both Jochem [Hoekstra] and Martijn [Tusveld] have been followed by the team to monitor their progression during the last years and they have shown good potential. For us, the stagiaire period will be an opportunity to see what they are capable of, and they will get the chance to prove themselves.“