Marcel Wyss is one of the major young talents in Switzerland. The twenty-two-year-old athlete from Zollbrück won the 2004 Swiss Junior class in road racing and finished second in the time trial. In the 2006 season he claimed victory in a stage of the Vuelta al Goierri. From 2007 to July 2008 the strong mountain rider raced for Team Atlas Romer’s Hausbäckerei and since August he has been a trainee with ProTour Team Scott-American Beef. His 2008 successes include an overall and prologue victory at the Flèche du Sud, the Swiss time trial champion title (cat. U23) as well as the Swiss Mountain title (cat. U23). Most recently, he finished fourth at the World Championship Time Trials (cat. U23).

Joaquin Novoa Méndez rode this season for Team Avila Rojas Ceuta. In 2007 the twenty-five-year-old rider was a trainee with Team CSC supporting his compatriot Carlos Sastre. Notable performances for Novoa Méndez in 2007 included a second place in one stage of the Vuelta Ciclista a Cartagena, the second spot at the Memorial Valenciaga and a third place ranking in a stage of the Volta Ciclista Provincia Tarrangona. In 2006 he won the overall ranking in the Rutas del Vino.

“I am very happy to be part of this project,” said Méndez and added that “to be able to share in a team with riders who will teach me many things and help me grow as a cyclist and as person. I especially want to thank Carlos Sastre to whom I owe a lot. I look forward to achieving great success with him and the rest of the team.”

Ignatas Konovalovas is a twenty-two-year-old who has just completed his first year in pro cycling by participating in the Olympic road race in Beijing in August. In 2007 he rode as a trainee for Credit Agricole. In both 2006 and 2008 he claimed the Lithuanian national time trial title. This year Konovalovas won the young rider ranking as well as taking a stage victory at the Tour de Luxembourg.