Forty members of the Etixx-QuickStep staff gathered recently in Durbuy, in the Belgian province of Luxembourg, for two days of team building and adventure activities.
The staff members took part in activities that included rock climbing, tyrolean and tactical competitions, all meant to create strong bonds among the staff and give them a break from their daily routines.
"We had a great time in Durbuy. It was a short team building, but we did a lot of stuff, which is always fun," Steels said. "It's the off-season, there's no racing involved and it was really nice to sit together, give the new guys an opportunity to find their place in the team and just relax, while using the time spent together as starting point for next year."
The staff camp will be followed in December by the traditional winter training camp.
Not to be outdone, Direct Energie took to the river for some paddling as its off-season team building activity.
Vuelta a Burgos in jeopardy
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The 2017 Vuelta a Burgos has been cast into doubt the Socialist Party (PSOE) called for removal of €700,000 of its allotment from the budget of the province.
So far the regional government has rejected the amendment, but according to BurgosConecta.es, the decision will be up for a provisional approval on December 2, then presented to the public for comment. The budget will be final in January.
Alberto Contador won this year's Vuelta a Burgos by a single second over Ben Hermans and Sergio Pardilla in August.
Mancebo will return with Skydive Dubai in 2017
Francisco Mancebo will return with Skydive Dubai next year, according to an interview the 40-year-old Spanish rider recently did with Ciclo21.
Mancebo has ridden with the United Arab Emirates Continental team since 2014 following several years in the US. In 2016 he won the final stage at the Tour of Alberta in Canada.
"I have renewed a year with SkyDive Dubai," Mancebo said in the interview, adding that he had looked at opportunities in Portugal and Japan and had also considered racing mountain bikes next year. "But in the end nothing came to fruition, so I'm still on the road and with them I feel comfortable."
Asked why he continues to race at 40 years old, Mancebo said he still enjoys it.
"And I also have a good salary for it. It's what I like to do, you travel, you see different places and as long as the legs work, although they are less, and especially the head, I will continue," he said.
Crampton retires from British Cycling track team
Sprinter Matt Crampton has announced his retirement from the Great Britain Cycling Team. Crampton has been a part of British Cycling for 13 years since joining the development program in 2003. In that time he won medals on both the Commonwealth and World Cup levels.
Crampton missed the Rio Olympics due to injury.
"Since starting on the squad in 2003 on the junior programme I have been training hard and dedicating my life to the British Cycling Olympic Programme," Crampton said. "Although I was not selected to represent GB at the Olympics, I am extremely proud of all I have achieved throughout my career and of the effort that was given relentlessly to be a fundamental part of the squad.
"With this in mind, I have taken the decision that now is the right time for me to retire from professional cycling in order to enable me to pursue new challenges and develop myself in other ways including setting up my own coaching brand ‘Podium Fitness’ along with other projects."
