After a successful opening to the season, Development Team Sunweb's Max Kanter and Leon Rohde make the step up to Team Sunweb's WorldTour team as stagiaires from August, 1. 

Team Sunweb's Development Program is specifically designed to bring young up-and-coming German and international talents through the ranks of professional cycling, giving riders the opportunity to develop and excel with the support of a professional structure around them. After joining the team's Development Program at the beginning of the year, the duo have already taken some impressive results. Rohde took the win at Bundesliga Düren and most recently Kanter was crowned the U23 German national road race champion.

Speaking of joining Team Sunweb's WorldTour Program team Kanter said: "I'm really pleased that the team have given me the chance to become a stagiaire. It's going to be a brilliant experience and I'm proud that the team are giving me the chance. I'm really looking forward to racing on a WorldTour level and I hope that I can learn a lot and make another step in my development as a rider." 

Rohde added: "This is a real honour and a great opportunity for me to show my strengths. We've worked together to achieve some good results in the Development Program so far this season and it's a really good signal that the hard work really does get rewarded."

Development Team Sunweb's coach Sebastian Deckert said: "We're satisfied with the progression we've made so far with our Development Program. Both Max and Leon have had a great season and we see this as the best next step in their development to potentially becoming a professional rider. They have demonstrated that they work according to the team's philosophy and this is now being rewarded by a chance to prove themselves amongst the world's best. It's a brilliant opportunity for both of them and I am certain that they will make the most of it and continue to thrive."