WIGGINS CONFIRMED FOR T-MOBILE 2008 LINE-UP

It was hardly surprising news, but it?s now official: Britain?s Bradley Wiggins will be racing alongside Mark Cavendish and Roger Hammond next year in T-Mobile colours.

Wiggins was confirmed as part of the 2008 T-Mobile line-up on Friday morning together with the two other Britons in a press release. It will the first time Great Britain has had so many pros all riding for the same ProTour team. It was not stated how long his contract will be with the magenta squad.

Other top riders now definitively down to join the T-Mobile squad include American George Hincapie and Swede Thomas Lovqvist. The rumoured return of Erik Zabel to Germany?s top squad has remained as exactly that - a rumour.

The backbone of the 2008 T-Mobile squad remains unchanged from 2007, with Gerald Ciolek, Cavendish, Hammond, Marcus Burghardt, Kim Kirchen, Linus Gerdemann and Michael Rogers all remaining in the squad. One iconic rider, Italian Giuseppe Guerini who won on Alpe D?Huez back in 1999, has retired.

T-Mobile Men?s team have so far taken 35 victories in 2007 - and their highly successful Women?s Team another 30. In 2008 the team?s average age will be just 26, with 12 riders 25 or under.

T-Mobile 2008 team: Michael Barry (Canada), Edvald Boasson Hagen (Norway), Marcus Burghardt (Germany), Mark Cavendish (GB), Gerald Ciolek (Germany), Scott Davis (Australia), John Devine (USA), Bernhard Eisel (Austria), Linus Gerdemann (Germany), Bert Grabsch (Germany), Andre Greipel (Germany), Roger Hammond (GB), Adam Hansen (Australia), Greg Henderson (NZ), George Hincapie (USA), Kim Kirchen (Lux), Andreas Klier (Germany), Servais Knaven (Netherlands), Greg Lewis (USA), Thomas Lovqvist (Sweden), Tony Martin (Germany), Marco Pinotti (Italy), Morris Possoni (Italy), Vicente Reynes (Spain), Michael Rogers (Australia), Kanstantsin Siutsou (Belarus), Bradley Wiggins (GB).

(new signings in bold)