Max Walscheid signs with Team Jayco AlUla - "We’ve been looking to strengthen Dylan’s lead-out train as well as strengthen our group for the northern classics"

Team Jayco AlUla have brought in a new addition to their lineup, Dylan Groenewegen may have a new figure in his leadout, and the classics team will be bolstered by the addition of Max Walscheid.

“I believe that Team Jayco AlUla consists of a great bunch of people which enables great performances and that’s what I’m looking forward to: perform and enjoy cycling," the German said in a press release. "I think I will fit in very well. I’m ambitious to follow my own goals in terms of results, but also hope to be a key teammate to help others be successful. The last years I managed to do every season a small step forward and that’s also my goal at Team Jayco AlUla; to progress and show my best possible self."

Walscheid has stood out due to his powerhouse status in the peloton. 1.99 meters tall and 90kg heavy, he's a rather unique rider, who has the pure watts which come in useful in the flat races. The 30-year old has specialized as a classics rider throughout his career taking good results in cobbled races, but has also sprinted for himself quite often, as well as race as a leadout for bigger sprinters. He could very well be a new and important part of Dylan Groenewegen's leadout.

"I am sprinter, classics rider and time trialist, as long as the road doesn’t rise too much, it’s my territory, especially on cobbles and in the wind. Also, I’m very experienced in supporting a group, reading races and be in the right place at the right moment. That’s something, I want to help my teammates with. I am really looking forward to joining the team and rip it.”  

Walscheid is still evolving as rider currently, having scored his best monument result this year as he finished eighth at Paris-Roubaix. Although he's not yet raised his arms in 2023, he's come close a few times, mostly performing in bunch sprints.

“We’ve been looking to strengthen Dylan’s lead-out train as well as strengthen our group for the northern classics and Max fits that perfectly, he ticks a number of boxes of the type of rider we were looking for," team manager Brent Copeland argued. "He’s a very strong lead-out rider and has also shown that he can be very strong in the early season classics. He is experienced and we’ve heard a lot about his character and believe he will fit into the team very well and help us to take another step forward. We’re looking forward to welcoming him next season.”