EUROTRASH News Round Up Thursday!
The road season is coming to an end, but we still have a lot of racing to come before the Tour Down Under. Lot’s of cycling news to get through this Thursday morning: Adré Greipel leaves Arkéa-Samsic, but what next? – Top Story. Israel Cycling Academy buys Katusha license, DNA Pro Cycling returns to UCI status, previews of Sparkassen Münsterland Giro, Giro dell’Emilia, GP Beghelli, Tour de L’Eurométropole, Tre Valli Varesine and the Famenne Ardenne Classic. Still more rider contract news, Sunweb opens new HQ and Velon files complaint with European Commission against UCI. A lot to get through in today’s EUROTRASH.
TOP STORY: Greipel leaves Arkéa-Samsic
André Greipel will not ride the second year of his contract with Arkéa-Samsic. Both parties have decided to separate at the end of the season, according to a press release. The 37-year-old Greipel only rode one season with the French ProContinental team.
Greipel made the switch from Lotto Soudal to Arkéa-Samsic at the end of last season, but the sprinter has had few successes with Arkéa-Samsic. In April Greipel announced that he was not feeling well. “I don’t know what it is. My instinct as a sprinter has gone,” he said after the Scheldeprijs.
Three months later, Dutch website WielerFlits reported that Greipel – despite an ongoing contract until the end of 2020 – could leave the French team. Now Greipel can definitely look forward to a new employer for the coming season.
“I asked the team four weeks ago to terminate my contract. The team finally agreed to my proposal. I am grateful to the team for the cooperation,” says Greipel. Team manager Emmanuel Hubert: “Of course I am disappointed in the performance of André, but I know he is the most disappointed. We will separate, but I have nothing bad to say about André. He was greatly appreciated within the team. He also brought a lot of experience with him. I wish him every success in the future.”
Greipel will be riding his last race for Arkéa-Samsic on Thursday, not entirely coincidentally in his own country. “The Sparkassen Münsterland Giro will be my last competition of the season. As a German rider it is always special to be at the start of a German race. After this I go on vacation and I start a rest period.” And the future? “I will have news in the week of 4-10 November,” said the sprinter.
Where next for ‘The Gorilla’?
Israel Cycling Academy Buy Katusha and WorldTour License
As reported in EUROTRASH a few months ago, the deal between Israel Cycling Academy and Katusha-Alpecin has been officially settled. The Israeli ProContinental team announced the take over of the Swiss team and next year’s WorldTour license.
Israel Cycling Academy will join the WorldTour in 2020, the team proudly announced today. The team and management of Katusha signed an agreement, making that step possible. The existing Katusha license will carry on, and has just been extended for three seasons. The team is sticking to the traditional blue and white jersey, which will be made by clothing manufacturer Katusha in line with the new sponsorship agreement.
For Israel Cycling Academy, this is a new big step in the team’s rapid development, following its start on the continental circuit barely five years ago. In 2017, the team moved up to the ProContinental level. “Some time ago I said that Israel Cycling Academy will ride in the WorldTour sooner or later,” said co-owner Sylvan Adams in a press release. “I look forward to seeing you this season.”
“I am sure that this step reinforces our core vision to develop Israeli cycling at the highest level,” says co-owner and founder Ron Baron. “I am delighted to see an Israeli rider in the Tour de France next year. We are ready for this new challenge.”
Zak Dempster (Israel Cycling Academy) winning Veenendaal – Veenendaal 2019:
DNA Pro Cycling Returns to UCI Status in 2020
The DNA Pro Cycling Team is proud to announce plans to return for the 2020 season registered as a UCI team for the first time since 2017. Celebrating their 8th racing season, the race calendar will include a broad range of events including UCI stage races, one-day classics and the USA Crits Series. The team will also continue to compete on the dirt for epic gravel and mountain bike events.
The UCI women’s roster boasts riders with diverse backgrounds and disciplines, multiple national champions and past Olympians, to kick-off a winning campaign.
Leading the team as captain on the road will be rouleur Heather Fischer, racing her seventh professional season. Fischer was the recent winner of the Most Badass jersey at the Colorado Classic this summer, and a past winner of the Downtown Silver City crit at the Tour of the Gila, and D1 Collegiate National Championship. Working alongside her will be Michaela Drummond, former Junior World Champion on the track and a 2020 Olympic hopeful for New Zealand.
Celebrating her 18th birthday this past August and graduating from junior gears, 26-time National Champion Katie Clouse will be racing her fourth year with the program. After proving her strengths in all three disciplines of mountain biking, cyclocross, and road, Clouse will join the team early next spring after another full cyclocross campaign this winter with Cannondale p/b Cyclocrossworld.
American Mia Kilburg (formerly Manganello), returns after a hiatus from professional cycling, winning a medal in long track speed skating at the 2018 Pyeong Chang Winter Olympics. Prior to her return to the ice in 2017, Kilburg had scored a collection of points classification jerseys at Cascade Cycling Classic, Redlands, and San Dimas.
The complete roster will be finalised in the coming weeks. Other new signings include collegiate national champion and climbing specialist Margot Clyne of Boulder, Colorado, and Liza Rachetto. Rachetto will bring a wealth of knowledge and experience earned after racing for the past 16 seasons in the top races of the world, including finishing the Giro Rosa three times. Earlier this season she spent several months racing in France and Belgium with her previous team.
“Women’s racing in 2020 will be exciting, challenging and rewarding; we’re eager for all of it,” Director Sportif Cathy Fegan-Kim said. “Bringing in sponsors, supporting our athletes and succeeding in each race is increasingly competitive, but we believe nothing meaningful has ever been easy.”
Fegan-Kim is one of only a handful of women in the world, officially certified as a UCI sports director, alongside Carmen Small and Rachel Heal to name a few. She earned her certification in Switzerland in 2018 through a scholarship. “The momentum in women’s racing is growing in North America with the Colorado Classic, AMGEN Tour of California, a robust criterium scene that includes USA CRITS, and Team USA’s success winning multiple rainbow jerseys at Worlds. We are ready to join once again in becoming a UCI team, racing hard, developing more women athletes and putting on a show for cycling fans.”
The 2020 DNA Pro Cycling Team Roster (to date):
Heather Fischer (Boulder, CO)
Hanna Muegge (Monterey, CA)
Michaela Drummond (Cambridge, NZ)
Kimberly Lucie (Tuscon, AZ)
Brenna Wrye-Simpson (Portland, OR)
Margot Clyne (Boulder, CO)
Katie Clouse (Park City, UT)
Mia Kilburg (Cincinnati, OH)
Liza Rachetto (Los Altos, CA)
Sarah Kaufmann (Salt Lake City, UT)
The DNA Pro Cycling Team is a registered USA Cycling Domestic Elite Team and is a joint venture owned and managed by FCS and K4 Racing. The team’s website is www.DNACyclingTeam.com.
Official social media properties of the DNA Pro Cycling Team:
facebook.com/k4racing, instagram.com/dnak4, and twitter.com/DNA_K4
DNACYCLING has been the title sponsor of the team for 7 years. The Company designs and manufactures custom kits for individuals and teams. Each custom piece is produced with the highest quality and handcrafted with Italian flair and a sense for dressing up well. Whether riding on dirt or asphalt, DNACYCLING is dedicated to all those losing themselves in the ride.
Functionality, simplicity, and flair – www.dnacycling.com
Sparkassen Münsterland Giro – October 3rd, 2019
Michiel Elijzen – Team Sunweb coach: “We have good memories at the race with Max winning here last year in the reduced sprint finish. We arrive at Sparkassen Münsterland Giro with a confident team after our recent success at Omloop van het Houtland, and we’re looking to defend our crown here. We have Max and Cees, who both can deliver strong sprint efforts after a tough day in the saddle, so we will look to keep them as fresh as possible and set them up for the finale.”
Line-up:
Nikias Arndt (GER), Cees Bol (NED), Roy Curvers (NED), Lennard Kämna (GER), Max Kanter (GER), Casper Pedersen (DEN), Max Walscheid (GER).
Nikias Arndt:
Deceuninck – Quick-Step to Münsterland Giro
A balanced squad will be at the start of the event which we won back in 2015.
Scheduled this week, Münsterland Giro (Emsdetten – Münster, 193 kilometres) has a slightly undulated course, but on paper that shouldn’t prevent the sprinters from fighting for victory at the end of the day, that is if the weather won’t decide to spoil the fast men’s party, as it has happened several times since the inception of the race.
Backed by a strong squad comprising Kasper Asgreen, Mikkel Honoré, Iljo Keisse, Davide Martinelli, Florian Sénéchal and stagiaire Jannik Steimle, whose strong performances have landed him a pro contract with Deceuninck – Quick-Step, Colombian Alvaro Hodeg – who recently took part in the gruelling Yorkshire World Championships – will try to get in the mix and battle for what would be his seventh victory of the season.
Sports director Wilfried Peeters, who will guide the squad from the car at the 14th edition of the German race, talked of Thursday’s appointment: “Münsterland Giro is always a very nice race, with some hills along the course and usually a mass gallop at the finish. If this will be the case, then we’ll go for a solid result with Alvaro, whom we’ll see how he recovered after the Worlds. We also have other strong guys, who can control the race and play an important role going into the business end of the race, so we’re really confident.”
03.10 Sparkassen Münsterland Giro (GER) 1.HC:
Riders:
Kasper Asgreen (DEN), Alvaro Jose Hodeg Chagui (COL), Mikkel Honoré (DEN), Iljo Keisse (BEL), Davide Martinelli (ITA), Florian Sénéchal (FRA), Jannik Steimle (GER).
Sports Director: Wilfried Peeters (BEL).
Alvaro Jose Hodeg:
UAE Team Emirates Gear up for Germany and Italy
The Emirati squad set to participate in the Sparkassen Münsterland, Giro dell’Emilia and GP Beghelli.
UAE Team Emirates are set to return to racing post World Championships with a block of races in Germany and Italy. Beginning with the Sparkassen Münsterland (1.HC) which will be held on Thursday 3 October over a distance of 193.3 km, sports director Simone Pedrazzini (Sui) will bring six riders:
– Tom Bohli (Sui)
– Sven Erik Bystrøm (Nor)
– Nicolas Dalla Valle (Ita)
– Fernando Gaviria (Col)
– Ivo Oliveira (Por)
– Rui Oliveira (Por).
Simone Pedrazzini: “Firstly, we’re delighted to be able to have Ivo Oliveira back with us, after a long layoff due to injury. The outcome of the race will probably be a sprint, where we can count on Gaviria. The whole team will be crucial in setting up the sprint, but our guys are well equipped to deliver.”
Two classics for the emirati squad in Italy, with Giro dell’Emilia and the GP Beghelli (1.HC, Sunday 6 October).
Team to be directed by sports director Marco Marzano (Ita):
Giro dell’Emilia (1.HC, Saturday 5 October, 207.4 km)
– Valerio Conti (Ita)
– Marco Marcato (Ita)
– Daniel Martin (Irl)
– Manuele Mori (Ita)
– Jan Polanc (Slo)
– Aleksandr Riabushenko (Blr)
– Diego Ulissi (Ita).
GP Beghelli (1.HC, Sunday 6 October, 199.3 km)
– Nicolas Dalla Valle (Ita)
– Roberto Ferrari (Ita)
– Fernando Gaviria (Col)
– Marco Marcato (Ita)
– Manuele Mori (Ita)
– Rui Oliveira (Por)
– Oliviero Troia (Ita).
Sports director Marco Marzano speaking ahead of the Italian races: “For the Giro dell’Emilia we will field four riders coming from what was a very tough World Championship, namely Martin, Polanc, Riabushenko and Ulissi. The San Luca climb will be a great test to see if their condition will still be there to get a good result. In the GP Beghelli we expect a sprint, but undoubtedly we will see attacks also, as has been the case in previous editions.”
Line-up Münsterland, Eurométropole and Famenne Ardenne Classic
This week, Lotto Soudal will be at the start of three one-day races. Thursday 3 October, the 14th edition of the Sparkassen Münsterland Giro (1.HC) takes place. Between the start in Emsdetten and the finish in Münster, the riders are facing over 190 kilometres of racing. Despite a hilly first part, the race is mostly suited to sprinters and also this year, a lot of riders will be eager to show their fast legs.
On Saturday 5 October, Lotto Soudal takes part in the Tour de L’Eurométropole, ridden between La Louvière and Tournai. Several hills are on the menu along the way and the four local laps in Tournai will definitely make for an interesting race and a thrilling finale.
Maxime Monfort will be riding his final race as a professional cyclist on Sunday 6 October. At the Famenne Ardenne Classic (1.1), 180 kilometres of racing awaits, with three local laps in and around Marche-en-Famenne, in which the Côte de Roy (2.3 kilometres à 4.8%) will most likely act as a crucial point.
Below are the line-ups for the upcoming three one-day races:
Line-up Münsterland Giro:
Victor Campenaerts, Frederik Frison, Jens Keukeleire, Lawrence Naesen, Brent Van Moer, Brian Van Goethem and Enzo Wouters.
Sports director: Herman Frison.
Line-up Tour de L’Eurométropole:
Stan Dewulf, Frederik Frison, Jens Keukeleire, Nikolas Maes, Brian Van Goethem, Jelle Wallays and Enzo Wouters.
Sports director: Marc Wauters.
Line-up Famenne Ardenne Classic:
Stan Dewulf, Jens Keukeleire, Rémy Mertz, Maxime Monfort, Lawrence Naesen, Brian Van Goethem and Jelle Wallays.
Sports director: Frederik Willems.
Brian Van Goethem will ride all three:
De la Parte Returns to Racing at CRO Race
CCC Team will line up for the first time at the newly-named CRO Race, starting 1 October, which will serve as Víctor de la Parte’s first race back after crashing out of the Vuelta a España.
De la Parte will be joined by a team of climbers at the six-day stage race, where the focus will be on a top ten result in the General Classification and a stage win.
“We won’t be lining up at CRO Race with one leader as we have multiple cards to play depending on how the race plays out. Victor de la Parte will return to competition after fracturing his scapula at the Vuelta a España so we will see how he goes. He is definitely motivated but, of course, missed out on some racing and training so we will take things day by day. Riccardo Zoidl and Amaro Antunes are in good shape so we will see what they can do, especially on the stage five summit finish, as this will be the most important stage for the General Classification,” Sports Director Fabio Baldato said.
“We also have Serge Pauwels, Laurens ten Dam, Joey Rosskopf, and our stagiaire Georg Zimmermann, who will have their eyes on stage wins as well as supporting the team for the General Classification. We are lining up at CRO Race for the first time as a team so, we are motivated to get out there and finish the season well.”
De la Parte is eager to test his form in Croatia, where he previously finished third overall in 2016.
“After the crash in the Vuelta a España, I had to stop for a few weeks and afterward, it was hard to start again because my body was tired but in my mind, I was motivated to finish the season well. I’ve now had a few good weeks of training so I feel pretty good and I think we can make some nice results at CRO Race. I’m really motivated because crashing out of the Vuelta was a hard reality to face when I was so motivated for my race on home soil. A good result in Croatia also helps me to mentally enjoy the off-season,” de la Parte said.
“I was approaching my recovery with the idea of racing in Croatia. My biggest goal will be to look for a stage that suits me and to enjoy racing again. I think, as a team, we can achieve a nice result and for me, it’s a chance to get back into racing before I finish my season with the Italian races.”
CRO Race (1-6 October)
Rider roster:
Amaro Antunes (POR), Victor de la Parte (ESP), Serge Pauwels (BEL), Joey Rosskopf (USA), Laurens ten Dam (NED), Georg Zimmermann (GER), Riccardo Zoidl (AUT).
Sports Directors: Fabio Baldato (ITA), Valerio Piva (ITA).
Víctor de la Parte:
Tre Valli Varesine – October 8th, 2019
Arthur van Dongen – Team Sunweb coach: “Tre Valli Varesine is the first of three Italian one-day races and we arrive with a strong and motivated squad. It is normally a very attacking race so we will look to make the race hard and be involved in any serious breakaway or attack. In the finale we aim to bring Wilco into a good position so he can make it into any late attacks, like last year, where we hope to go for another good result.”
Line-up:
Jan Bakelants (BEL), Chris Hamilton (AUS), Jai Hindley (AUS), Wilco Kelderman (NED), Robert Power (AUS), Michael Storer (AUS), Martin Salmon (GER).
Jan Bakelants:
Oscar Rodriguez Comes to Astana Pro Team
A very promising young rider Oscar Rodriguez is going to join Astana Pro Team from January 1st, 2020. The 2-year-deal for 2020 and 2021 has been signed recently.
“I am really happy to join Astana Pro Team for the following two years. I will do my best to become an important part of this team. For me it is a big step ahead in my career and I am ready to come into the WorldTour. I hope together with the team and my new teammates we will reach our goals,” said Oscar Rodriguez.
Oscar Rodriguez (24 years old) is a talented Spanish rider from Burlada (Navarra), who, in this season, is representing the professional continental team Euskadi Basque Country – Murias. With his current team he has turned pro in 2018 and during these two seasons he has scored a number of good results. Thus, in 2018 Rodriguez won a stage at the Vuelta a España, won the mountain classification of the Tour of the Alps and took a third place in the individual time trial at the Volta ao Alentejo. During the current season he won the mountain classification of La Route d’Occitanie, finished second in the overall classification of the Vuelta a Burgos, was 7th in the individual time trial at the Spanish National Championships and at the Tour du Finistere, took 8th at the one-day race Mont Ventoux Denivele Challenge and did 9th in the general classification of the Vuelta Ciclista a la Region de Murcia.
“Oscar Rodriguez is a young rider, who could become a strong climber as he already showed his potential in some races during this season, for example, at Mont Ventoux or Vuelta a Burgos. Also, he is good in time trial and maybe in our team he can even improve in this discipline. With other words, he looks like he can become a strong all-rounder and I am curious to see his progress in our team at the WorldTour level,” said Alexandr Vinokurov, general manager of Astana Pro Team.
Oscar Rodriguez winning a Vuelta’18 stage:
UAE Team Emirates welcomes David De La Cruz
Spanish rider adds further quality to the Emirati squad.
UAE Team Emirates will add a new flag to its international squad by welcoming a Spaniard, with the arrival of David De La Cruz for 2020 and 2021.
The Catalan rider, born in 1989, has achieved five victories since turning professional in 2012, (a stage of the 2016 Vuelta a Espana, also wearing the red jersey; stages at Paris-Nice 2017 and Paris-Nice 2018; a stage of the Vuelta al Pais Vasco 2017 and the individual time trial at the Vuelta Andalucia 2018).
Team Manager Joxean Matxin on the new arrival: “David is a rider who has the right experience to fully exploit his talent and immediately be a reliable part of our team in key races. His climbing talent, combined with his strength in time trials, has led him to win stages in top-level races and to wear leaders jerseys.”
David De La Cruz on his move to UAE Team Emirates: “When I received the proposal from UAE and after speaking with the team manager Matxin, it was everything I needed from a cycling point of view. The UAE Team Emirates project to become a reference within cycling is ambitious and it has solid plans in place to work towards this goal. In the next two seasons I hope to contribute to this project by being able to perform at my highest level. I really want to give my best and I’m sure that at UAE Team Emirates I’ll be in the right place to do that.”
David De La Cruz winning stage 8 in the 2018 Paris-Nice:
Leezer, Lindeman, Martens and Wynants loyal to Team Jumbo-Visma
Team Jumbo-Visma has renewed the contracts of Tom Leezer, Bert-Jan Lindeman, Paul Martens and Maarten Wynants until the end of the 2020 season.
Merijn Zeeman emphasises the role of the quartet. “Tom, Paul, Bert-Jan and Maarten are real team players”, the sportive director of Team Jumbo-Visma says. “They are very important for our team leaders and they also support the development of our young talents. I am very satisfied with the fact that they are loyal to our team.”
Leezer is happy to be part of the Dutch squad for the coming year as well. “I have been racing for the team for almost fifteen years. I have had a good year and enjoyed building successes. I am very happy that we will continue to do so together.”
Martens feels confident. “I am very happy and proud that I will continue to be part of this successful team. I have helped it grow in recent years. I hope to help many young talents. My experience is really appreciated in this way”, the German road captain says.
Lindeman feels at home at Team Jumbo-Visma. “It’s great that I can ride for such a great team. I feel at home here and therefore I am very happy with my new contract.”
Wynants endorses those words. “I have experienced the development of the team from up close”, the experienced Fleming says. “I look forward to fulfilling the role of road captain for another year. The ultimate dream is to win a monument with this team next spring.”
Floris De Tier, Neilson Powless and Danny van Poppel are leaving Team Jumbo-Visma.
Christina Siggaard joins Lotto Soudal in 2020!
We proudly present you the first new name that will join the Lotto Soudal Ladies team in 2020: Christina Siggaard (25). The past three seasons this Danish rider was part of Team Virtu, a team that ceases to exist at the end of the year. In July Siggaard won the first stage of the BeNe Ladies Tour, while she triumphed at Omloop Het Nieuwsblad in 2018. She loves the Belgian passion for cycling and that’s why she chose to come to Lotto Soudal. At the moment she is suffering from a concussion that she incurred at the end of August, but she’s already looking forward to 2020 with a lot of enthusiasm.
Christina Siggaard: “I love racing in Belgium, because of the Belgian mentality about cycling. It gets the best out of me. It was always on the cards that one day I would race for a Belgian team. There’s no team I would rather go to next season than Lotto Soudal. When you race in Belgium you always feel the excitement. At a Belgian race there are always many spectators at the side of the road, not only family or people who are personally involved. Belgians are passionate about cycling and that’s something I can relate to. People in Belgium are proud of their races. And I love those spring Classics, that’s the highlight of my season.”
“I’m a puncheur. I’m good on smaller climbs. I’m not a top sprinter, but I am fast when we get to the finish with a smaller group at the end of a very hard race. I always target the spring Classics, especially Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, Dwars door Vlaanderen and Ronde van Vlaanderen. And the national championships are always a goal too. I’m looking forward to the spring races with my new team, I hope we can set a good team performance. In the future I also want to improve my time trial skills, because in stage races that’s an advantage. That can lead to better GC results in stage races further down the track.”
“This winter I might head to the south before New Year to do some training in the sun, like I did in the past. But before I start preparing for the upcoming season my concussion needs to heal. I crashed in the penultimate stage of the Tour of Norway at the end of August. It only became clear one month later, after GP Isbergues, that I had a concussion. This meant I couldn’t take part in the Worlds. But I’m on the mend now, I’m feeling better.”
“At the moment I’m in the last semester of my nutrition and health studies. I’m interested in what nutrition can do to our body and how it can help us, not only the influence on performances but also in the day to day life. I’m dairy intolerant myself. I spend a lot of time in the kitchen, especially to make sweets such as cakes. I like to experiment with alternatives: to use natural sweeteners instead of sugar for example or to make gluten-free or dairy-free versions.”
Christina Siggaard:
Nate Brown signs with Rally UHC Cycling
28-year-old American brings WorldTour resumé.
Rally UHC Cycling is proud to announce the signing of 28-year-old American Nate Brown for the 2020 season. After spending the last six years racing in the WorldTour for EF Education First, Brown will assume the role of road captain following the departure of Svein Tuft.
“It’s been an amazing six years, but after taking a step back and speaking with my family, we decided Rally UHC Cycling was best suited for the things I still want to achieve in cycling,” said Brown. “I’m really looking forward to getting some opportunities to lead and I’m excited to see what I can do.”
Brown’s career highlights include two days in the KOM jersey during the 2017 Tour de France, fourth on stage 10 of the 2016 Giro d’Italia, and second in the 2013 U23 Liège – Bastogne – Liège. His last victory came when he won the overall title at the 2013 Tour de Beauce.
“My biggest goal for next year is to win a race,” said Brown. “It’s been years since I’ve raised my hands for a win and I’m really motivated. I see the team as a fresh start with lots of opportunities and I feel that I still haven’t reached my full potential.”
Team performance director Jonas Carney has had his eye on signing Brown for the last few seasons. It wasn’t until this summer that talks progressed and Brown decided to come aboard.
“We brought Nate in because he’s a super-strong rider with a ton of experience, and he’s a good fit personality-wise with our current group,” said Carney. “Plus, he’s only 28 years old and has a lot more to give.”
Carney has a reputation for being a straight-shooter and someone who values team culture as highly as performance. Both are traits that Brown appreciated during their discussions.
“After speaking with Jonas, I knew it was the perfect fit for me,” said Brown. “Rally UHC Cycling seems like a big family, and I really like that. I have a bunch of friends on the team and with a smaller roster, I feel like I will have a closer connection to everyone.”
With the recent retirement of Svein Tuft following the Grand Prix Cycliste de Montréal, Rally UHC Cycling was looking to fill the role of road captain, a position vital to the success of its young and talented roster.
“We definitely expect Nate to take a leadership role,” said Carney. “He’s competed in Europe full-time for years, completed six grand tours, and wore the KOM jersey at the Tour de France. He has a lot of knowledge to share with the rest of our team.”
Normally, the veteran rider on a cycling team is someone who uses their experience in the service of others but in Brown’s case, he also has the physical ability to chase results of his own.
“Nate has spent almost all of his time in the WorldTour working for others,” said Carney. “We know he is capable of generating results himself and our race program will provide him with opportunities in 2020.”
Following the recent signings of Stephen Bassett and Nikolas Zukowsky, Brown marks the third and final new addition to the men’s 2020 roster. With Brandon McNulty joining Team UAE and the retirement of Svein Tuft and Evan Huffman, Rally UHC Cycling returns all 13 remaining riders for the 2020 season.
The team will gather for the first time at a teambuilding camp in Sedona, AZ this November before heading to the team’s hometown of Minneapolis, MN for their official launch party on December 6.
2020 men’s roster
Ryan Anderson, Stephen Bassett, Rob Britton, Nate Brown, Robin Carpenter, Pier-André Coté, Matteo Dal-Cin, Adam de Vos, Nigel Ellsay, Colin Joyce, Ty Magner, Gavin Mannion, John Murphy, Kyle Murphy, Emerson Oronte, Nikolas Zukowsky.
Nate Brown:
Castroviejo Signs Two-Year Extension
Jonathan Castroviejo has extended with Team INEOS for a further two years.
Castroviejo has strengthened his reputation as one of the sport’s most dependable support riders and strongest time triallists in two successful seasons with the Team and become a hugely respected member of the squad.
The Spaniard said: “I’m really happy to be staying with the Team. I’ve enjoyed two brilliant years here and to be a part of two Tour de France winning teams has been special. I wanted to take a next step when I joined the Team and I feel like I have done that. Now I’m really settled here. It has been a great environment for me to keep improving as a cyclist and I’m looking forward to playing my part alongside our exciting group of young riders.”
As well as helping Geraint Thomas and Egan Bernal to Tour de France success, Castroviejo has won back-to-back Spanish national time trial titles since joining the Team – the fourth and fifth of his career.
Castroviejo’s coach Xabi Artetxe praised his impact on the Team. He said: “We knew what type of rider Jonathan was before we signed him, but I think I speak for everyone on the team when I say that Castro has surpassed our expectations. He is one of the most professional bike riders I’ve worked with and he has been exemplary in his two years with us. He has enhanced his reputation as one of the most consistent time triallists in the world and he has quickly become a pivotal member of our Tour de France team. It’s great that Castro will be staying for another two years.”
Jonathan Castroviejo:
Knees Set for 10th Season with team
Christian Knees is motivated to continue his career at Team INEOS as he prepares to start a 10th consecutive season with the team.
After arriving as German national champion heading into 2011, Knees has gone on to establish himself as one of the most dependable support riders in the sport.
With 30 Monuments and 20 Grand Tours under his belt Knees has amassed a wealth of experience, and was on hand to help the team claim its first Tour de France and Giro d’Italia victories.
“I’m really happy to extend my time with the team,” said Knees after signing a one-year deal. “I feel very comfortable here and to be going into the my 10th year with the team next year is a great achievement. I’m really pleased that I can still continue to do what I love. I could never have imagined when I signed that I would be on the team for 10 years. I knew when I looked at the riders the team had, even back then, that it was a really strong setup. To stay for so long in a team like this – which has now won the Tour de France seven times – it shows you can’t be too bad as a bike rider.”
The 38 year old is a strong presence on the team bus and relishes the chance to be a role model for the next generation. He added: “I’ve always been somebody who likes to encourage the younger guys along and help them if they need advice, as well as being there as a role model if I can be. As a rider who has done 20 Grand Tours they can see you and look at what you’re doing to get through a three-week race. They can try to emulate that. Trying to help the developing riders out is something I really enjoy. On the other hand it’s still a competition within the team. So these young up and coming guys give me motivation and I know I need to be on a high level to be selected for races. It’s a win-win situation.”
Knees’ coach Leigh Bryan is full of praise for the way he continues to approach the sport, and the impact it has on those around him. He explained: “Not only is Christian going into his 10th season with the team, he’s been a pro for 14 years. His professionalism is second to none. For the young guys on the team he shows how pro cycling should be in the way that he commits to his training and his racing. He’s versatile and he can do any type of race the team calls upon him for. There are not many riders still racing in the peloton with that amount of experience. He knows what it takes to perform right through the season and be as good from day one as he is at the end. That’s something young guys can aspire to.”
Christian Knees:
Team Sunweb officially open doors to their new Headquarters and Experience
Today marks a new chapter for Team Sunweb, as they officially open the doors to their new, purpose-built Headquarters and Experience Center in Deventer. The building comprises a place where all of the team’s departments come together as one, working together to keep the wheels turning and build on Team Sunweb’s future.
The building also offers a fantastic Experience Center, which displays the history of the team and provides insight into the vision and technology behind all their equipment. Such equipment is available for cyclists of all abilities to undergo sophisticated pro-level bike fittings and physical VO2 max testing. This unique venue is also a place for the team and their partners to meet fans, as its doors are open to them throughout the year.
Team Sunweb CEO Iwan Spekenbrink said proudly of the opening: “Alongside the Keep Challenging Center, which was realised in April this year, our new Headquarters and Experience Center marks another long-sought dream becoming reality. This is much more than just a building, it’s a new era for us. It’s a place that breathes immense passion for sports and a place where we can all come together as one team, enjoy to be and work.
In cycling’s economic landscape it’s not common for team’s to make long-term investments into their future at all, for that you need a philosophy and strong partners. We’d like to thank our partners for their trust and belief in us, and for helping us bring our dreams to reality.”
Velon Files Complaint with European Commission Against UCI
On 20 September 2019, Velon, with the unanimous support of its shareholders, submitted an anti-trust Complaint to the European Commission against the Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) based on Articles 101 and 102 TFEU.
Velon has asked the European Commission to investigate the way the UCI has implemented existing regulations and sought to introduce new ones that are designed to favour the UCI’s business interests to the detriment of the teams.
In the past year the UCI has tried to stop what Velon and the teams have pioneered in their joint business on new races (the team v team “Hammer Series”) and technology. Velon and its shareholder and partner teams hoped and expected that its initiatives would be supported by the UCI, as had been the case in previous years. However, in the past 12 months the UCI has used its regulatory power and political leverage to seek to block the business activities of Velon and the teams in an incorrect and unlawful manner.
In February the UCI ruled that Hammer Races may not be referred to as a Series under UCI regulations. No explanation has ever been given. Velon, and the teams competing at Hammer events, continued to race for the Series – one of the key, unique features of the new races – despite the UCI’s threat that they may refuse to register Hammer Races in the 2020 calendar if we did.
Despite the positive reception to the Hammer Series by the fans, teams and riders and strong interest from potential race organiser partners and host cities to stage a Hammer race, the opposition by the UCI has significantly hampered the development of the Series.
Earlier this year the UCI passed new technical regulations without due process or consultation with any of the stakeholders in the sport (even with its own Equipment and Technology Fraud Commission) that sought to give itself and race organisers ownership and control over the teams’ business on live race data.
The UCI today believes that it should not only be the regulator for the sport but also take new business creation from its stakeholders without their consent. The UCI feels entitled to use its regulatory powers for its own commercial benefit and to take the rights of the teams and riders without consultation or permission.
Despite continued efforts by Velon to engage with the UCI relating to our concerns on their actions, the UCI has refused any constructive dialogue for over a year. Consequently, Velon and its teams have been left with no alternative but to submit the Complaint to the European Commission with the objective of having an external authority’s assessment as to whether the conduct of the UCI in regard to the above matters (in particular its use of its regulatory power and political leverage) infringes EU competition rules.
The Velon teams took the decision to openly publish the fact that they filed the Complaint and a summary of their reasons for doing so in order to avoid any misunderstanding of their actions. Detailed information has been provided to the EU Competition Commission and whilst their review is ongoing, we respect their process and do not wish to place additional information in the public domain.
For those who seek further background information regarding Velon’s role and the new technology and the new form of racing that Velon’s teams and partners have pioneered, please see the context notes related to this letter.
Our desire is for a stable, predictable and fair regulatory environment for the sport that treats the teams, riders and race organisers in equal manner. Velon, its shareholders and partners, want the development of new ideas, to attract new investment and to create a better business model so that professional road cycling continues to strengthen and develop for the fans and everyone involved in the sport.
Graham Bartlett, CEO
For and on behalf of Velon Ltd, BORA-hansgrohe, CCC Team, Deceuninck – Quick-Step, EF Education First, Lotto Soudal, Mitchelton-SCOTT, Team INEOS, Team Jumbo-Visma, Team Sunweb, Trek-Segafredo and UAE Team Emirates.
The full text of this open letter is here: https://www.velon.cc/news/2019/9/27/velon-files-ec-complaint-uci
Vuelta a España 2019: Best of highlights by Velon:
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