Team Giant-Alpecin has confirmed the addition of the young and ambitious German duo Sebastian Deckert and Hendrik Werner to its coaching staff for 2017. The 26-year-old sport scientist Deckert is making the step to the WorldTour joining from the German Continental Team LKT Brandenburg, whereas 33-year-old Werner, also sport scientist, comes over as a trainer from the Swiss IAM Cycling. Both Germans will play an important part to further optimize the execution of the team’s performance plans.

Deckert commented: “Joining Team Sunweb is an absolute dream come true. It has always been my ambition to apply my knowledge at the highest level of the sport and it’s great to do that in a German team with such a track record in both developing talents and achieving results in the biggest races on the planet.”

About his move to the team, Werner said: “I am very happy to have signed at Team Sunweb and to join a very professional structured team. The already strong roster will be expanded for next year and I am very much looking forward to joining and adding my value to the organization.”

Head of coaching, Rudi Kemna (NED) added: “We are happy to add both Sebastian and Hendrik to our coaching staff, both having an academic background. As a team we are not only looking for talents on the bike, but also off the bike. With the German-oriented development program coming up we need to expand our coaching and training team. As known, the development program will be an integral part of the team, so to consistently continue to work according to our philosophy all staff will be deployed for all programs, working under the same umbrella.

“At LKT Brandenburg Sebastian has shown his qualities and in him we see a very talented young trainer and coach with similar thoughts about the sport that we have, and are confident he fits well with our philosophy. As a trainer/coach he will support and guide the team’s riders from all three programs, with a focus on our new development program.

"Hendrik already has experience in guiding WorldTour riders at IAM Cycling and in our team we will aim for the next level in performance guidance. He will hold a trainer’s function, covering riders from all programs.”

Team Giant-Alpecin parts ways with trainer Mattias Reck (SWE).