CCC complete roster, Axeon and Aevolo sign more riders, inaugural Middle East Peace Tour moved back to 2019
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Peter Sagan (Slovakia) celebrates his third world title(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Peter Sagan (Slovakia) celebrates his third win(Image credit: Bettini Photo)
Kamil Gradek (ONE Pro Cycling)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Jonathan Islas claimed victory by 42 seconds. (Image credit: Wenceslao Rodriguez/ WRS IMAGENES)
Steve Berman and Axel Merckx at the Tour of Utah earlier this month.(Image credit: Axeon Hagens Berman)
World Champion Peter Sagan announced the birth of his son Marlon on Wednesday, using Twitter to let the cycling world know the newest member of the Sagan clan had arrived, and that mother and baby were in excellent health.
Sagan married Katarína Smolkova in November of 2015.
CCC Sprandi Polkowice complete 19-man roster for 2018
The CCC Sprandi Polkowice squad announced the finalisation of their 2018 roster with three contract extensions. Leszek Plucinski, Mateusz Taciak and Piotr Brozyna opted to remain with the Polish Pro Continental squad.
"We are pleased to announce that this trio will stay with us," directeur sportif Piotr Wadecki said. "They have been on the team for many years and we could always count on them and their professionalism. Mateusz Taciak is an experienced rider, who shares his knowledge with youngsters and is still one of best time trialists in Poland. Leszek Plucinski is one of the top climbers while competing in the Polish races and Piotr Brozyna has a bright future ahead of him, if he continues to develop like he has in the past years."
The trio will be joined by the final new signing – 27-year-old Polish rider Kamil Gradek who moves across from One Pro Cycling – in the 19-man squad, down from 22 this season.
Other new additions include Marko Kump from UAE Team Emirates, Portuguese rider Amaro Antunes and Polish riders Pawel Bernas, Pawel Cieslik and Pawel Franczak from the Continental ranks.
13 riders remain with the team from this season, with Marcin Bialoblocki, Jakub Kaczmarek, Marcin Mrozek, Maciej Paterski, Simone Ponzi and Branislau Samoilau yet to be named to a team for 2018. Felix Großschartner signed with Bora-Hansgrohe, Jan Hirt with Astana, and Nikolay Mihaylov signed with Delko Marseille Provence KTM.
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CCC Sprandi Polkowice for 2018 season: Amaro Manuel Antunes, Alan Banaszek, Pawel Bernas, Piotr Brozyna, Pawel Cieslik, Pawel Franczak, Kamil Gradek, Jonas Koch, Marko Kump, Adrian Kurek, Kamil Malecki, Lukasz Owsian, Michal Paluta, Leszek Plucinski, Michal Schlegel, Frantisek Sisr, Patryk Stosz, Mateusz Taciak, Jan Tratnik
The inaugural Middle East Peace Tour, a seven-day amateur stage race originally scheduled for March 9-15, 2018, has been postponed until 2019, the organisers announced on Wednesday.
The race was due to travel from Amman, Jordan to Jerusalem, Israel with stages to Petra, Aqaba, Eilat, Mitzpe Ramon, Neve Zohar and Jericho.
Race organiser Gerhard Schönbacher said the event has proven more complicated to produce than expected.
"For a project of this magnitude, a lot of things only reveal themselves once you start working on the detailed processes," Schönbacher said. "The current implementation phase has resulted in a few milestones taking longer to complete than originally planned, and those can only be resolved on-site. Over the next few days I will be traveling to the Middle East again to do exactly that.
"We will be able to cross those hurdles together with the support of local authorities," Schönbacher continued. "We are certain that everything will fall into place smoothly for 2019 and that we will be able to deliver a perfectly organised race for all athletes and supporters. This idea of a transnational project for peace deserves nothing less. We have 18 months to get our processes on location back on track and are hoping to set a world-wide example for peace."
Giro d'Italia owner RSO recently confirmed the 2018 Giro d'Italia will start with three stages in Israel, starting with a time trial in Jerusalem.
Axeon, Aevolo continue to build 2018 rosters
US Development teams Axeon Hagens Berman and Aevolo continue to build their 2018 rosters, with Axeon recently announcing the signing of US U23 criterium champion Thomas Revard and Aevolo adding Mexican junior time trial and road race champion Fernando Islas.
Revard, a Marion University student who also finished ninth in the U23 road race and 14th in the U23 Individual time trial, placed sixth at the collegiate nationals road race, and seventh at both the Glencoe Grand Prix and Snake Alley.
"Joining Hagens Berman Axeon has been a goal of mine for a while now," Revard said in a statement released by the team. "Having the opportunity to race for a team like HB Axeon is an honor and I am looking forward to the upcoming season with the team. I am most excited to have the opportunity to test myself at bigger races."
Aside from being the reigning Mexican junior time trial and road race national champion, Isla also finished first in the time trial at the 2017 Pan American Games and second in the road race. He was second overall at at the Tour L’Abitibi, winning the time trial stage.
"I hope with Aevolo to learn a lot and grow as a cyclist and person, and to be able to help as much as possible to the objectives of the team, and of course if they ask me, to be able to delivery some victories," said Islas, who joins the team from Tepeapulco, Mexico.
