Sleeping Giant? Johan Van Summeren Joins Garmin-Transitions, Bolsters Cobbled Classics Clout for 2010

28 year old Johan Van Summeren has transferred over the Garmin-Transitions squad after a successful five year stint with the Belgian Lotto team. Van Summeren is a known cobbled-classic commodity, and he'll act as Garmin's number two option behind Martin Maaskant in some of the early season cobbled races, particularly at Paris-Roubaix. The 6 foot 5 inch tall Belgian was fifth in last year's edition of the race, and eighth in 2008.

Van Summeren may end up being the 2010 version of Brad Wiggins for the Garmin team. Garmin director Jonathan Vaughters seems to have an astute eye for undiscovered talent, and under his eye Van Summeren could make the jump from outlier to top contender at the "Hell of the North" over the next couple of seasons.

If Van Summeren improves on his fifth place finish from 2009 at Paris-Roubaix, it will be Vaughters who will deserve much of the credit. The Slipstream mastermind took a then 28 year old Brad Wiggins to the precipice of the Tour de France podium last year, paving the way for the Brit to join the new British super team Sky. Previously to 2009, there were few in the cycling world that thought Wiggins was capable of such feats in a grand tour.

Best of all for Van Summeren in 2010 is that he will be able to ride with very little pressure at the biggest races. A top performance at one of the early season cobbled-classics would be great for Vaughters and Garmin, but the American team will put more emphasis on Van Summeren to help lead out Garmin's elite sprinter Tyler Farrar. Farrar was down a man or two during several key events in 2009, and in adding Van Summeren the 25 year old Farrar will have one more big engine to lean on in bunch sprint finishes.

Once again, Garmin team director Jonathan Vaughters has gone out into the cycling free agent market and mined a diamond in the rough. Van Summeren likely won't be the first rider that springs to mind for the Garmin cycling fan when considering their chances for 2010, but by the end of the season he may well be. Belgian strong and Pro Tour proven, expect Van Summeren to be one of the bigger contributors to Garmin's success next season.