For the first time since 2008, Stefan Schumacher will be back in the professional peloton when he lines up for CCC Polsat in 2015. The German has signed a one-year contract with the Polish team on which he will be reunited with friend and former teammate Davide Rebellin.

CCC Polsat Polkowice has reached an agreement with Stefan Schumacher. He is the fifth new rider who signed with the “orange” team in the last month.

The 33-year old German claimed his first professional victory back in 2004, when he won Belgian race Druivenkoers Overijse. In the next season he took the overall of Niedersachsen-Rundfahrt and Ster Elektrotoer. In 2006, when he was a part of Gerolsteiner, he won two stages of Tour of Poland and the final GC. He also added victories in Circuit de la Sarthe and Eneco Tour to his palmeres.

In 2007 he was the strongest rider at the Amstel Gold Race and Bayern Rundfahrt. He was also third in the world championship road race. This is one of the biggest achievements of his career, next to two stage victories in Giro d’Italia, Tour de France and the yellow jersey in the French Grand Tour (for 2 days).

He didn’t race for two years – in 2009 and 2010 – since he was banned by the UCI for anti-doping violations. He came back to the sport as a Miche rider and later moved to Christina Watches-Onfone. In 2011 he took two stages of Vuelta a Asturias and Tour d’Azerbaidjan. One year later he grabbed a win in Tour de Serbie and Tour of China. In 2013 Schumacher claimed bronze at the German championship time trial.

“Schumi” is well known among Polish cycling fans. This year he participated in the Szlakiem Grodow Piastowskich as a Christina Watches Kuma rider and was the fastest man against the clock on one of the stages.

Schumacher signed a one-year deal.