21-year-old becomes second American signing for new season
Wild card squad Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Spanish Pro-Continental team Caja Rural-Seguros RGA have confirmed its final roster for the 2017 season with the addition of 21-year-old American Justin Oien from Axeon Hagens Berman. Oien is one of seven international riders on Caja Rural-Seguros RGA's roster for 2017 with fellow American Chris Butler a teammate for next year.
"I am extremely happy and grateful for the opportunity to take this next step in my career and join Caja Rural - Seguros RGA. When I first started racing, my dream was to do it professionally in Europe one day," said Oien in a release from his new team.
A one-day specialists, Oien's best result of the season was sixth place at the U23 Paris-Roubaix. The Californian though is aiming to continue his progression in the peloton with Caja Rural-Seguros RGA after his two seasons with the Axeon development squad.
"Now, it's time to set new goals, dream bigger and once again say 'wow I've got some work to do'. I am going to continue to put in the work and with the help of my personal coach, the team staff and my new teammates, I will continue to progress steadily," he added. "I want to enter each race with the goal of having an impact on the race because that’s how you learn and get better, by testing yourself and putting yourself in different scenarios."
Oien's signing brings the team roster to 20-riders for the 2017 season and is the ninth and final addition.
Along with the signing of the two Americans, Caja Rural-Seguros RGA has also added Yuri Trofimov from Tinkoff,Nick Schultz (SEG Racing Academy), 2016 stagiaires Josu Zabala and Jon Irisarri, Rafael Reis (W52-FC Porto-Porto Canal), Dylan Page (Team Roth) and Alex Aranburu (Euskadi Basque Country - Murias).
The team recently held its first training camp of the off-season in Tudela, Navarra with the primary aim of getting to know each other. A second camp is expected to held in coming weeks with the full roster to get together, including Oien.
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2017 Caja Rural-Seguros RGA roster: Alex Aranburu, David Arroyo, Miguel Ángel Benito, Chris Butler, Fabricio Ferrari, Jon Irisarri, Jonathan Lastra, Lluis Mas, Antonio Molina, Oien, Dylan Page, Sergio Pardilla, Eduard Prades, Rafael Reis, Jaime Rosón, Diego Rubio, Héctor Sáez, Nick Schultz, Yuri Trofimov and Josu Zabala.
