Czech looking forward to ‘fresh start’ after spell at Mitchelton-Scott
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Roman Kreuziger at the Tour de France(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Roman Kreuziger (Mitchelton-Scott)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Roman Kreuziger of Czech Republic and Team Mitchelton-Scott (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Roman Kreuziger and Mitchelton-Scott at Liege-Bastogne-Liege 2018(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Mark Cavendish chats to Dimension Data teammate Mark Renshaw(Image credit: Getty Images)
Roman Kreuziger has signed a contract with Team Dimension Data for two years, with the goal of strengthen the South African team’s Classics performance.
This season the Czech rider impressed in the Ardennes Classics, finished second at the Amstel Gold Race, fourth in La Fleche Wallonne and eighth at Liege-Bastogne-Liege. He also rode the Giro d'Italia in support of his Mitchelton-Scott team captain Simon Yates.
“Joining Team Dimension Data provides a new motivation for me, a fresh start in some ways. Wherever I’ve ridden it’s been with success and this challenge is absolutely no different,” said Kreuziger, 32.
Kreuziger turned professional in 2006 with Liquigas, rode for Astana for two years, and then was with the Saxo Bank/Tinkoff team for four years before joining Mitchelton-Scott in 2017. In 2014, he was provisionally suspended for a suspected biological passport violation relating to 2011-2012, but the case was ultimately dismissed.
“I believe though that I’m now entering into the prime of my career and want to achieve great things with Team Dimension Data, so I can’t wait to get started with my new teammates,” he said in a statement released on Sunday morning, also giving his backing to to the African team's charity work.
“Finally, I love the Qhubeka charity and what it stands for as it resonates deeply with me; and as a token I’d like to immediately fund one bike. I realise this is a small gesture now but I look forward to helping the team in their collective goal to keep raising funds for the distribution of bikes by Qhubeka, so I’m delighted to be a part of it.”
"Roman signing for us is a big deal. To have a rider of his quality join our team is a real statement of intent and we’re thrilled to have him,” said Dimension Data team principal Doug Ryder, who indicated that more signings will be announced in the next few days as he restructures his team.
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Dimension Data’s first step to improve their Classics team was the signing of Michael Valgren (Astana), who this year won Omloop Het Nieuwsblad and Amstel Gold Race. They have also signed Danilo Wyss (BMC).
Their biggest name rider, Mark Cavendish, is out of contract at the end of this year and there has been as yet no word as to whether the Briton will re-sign or move elsewhwere.
