Luca Paolini (Katusha)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Giovanni Visconti (Movistar) on the way to second palce on Pla d'Adet(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Viacheslav Kuznetsov (Katusha)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Luca Paolini will not be hanging his wheels up just yet as he has extended his contract with Katusha for another season, according to Tuttobici. The 37-year-old’s contract is now due to run until the end of 2015.
Paolini has been with the Russian team since 2011, where he forms part of the Classics team. His experience on the bike also makes him a strong road captain at the Grand Tours. Paolini turned professional with Mapei-QuickStep in 2002 and has taken stage wins at the Vuelta a España and the Giro d’Italia.
Paolini hasn’t raced since the Tour de France in July, but is due to ride the GP Ouest France-Plouay at the end of the month.
The team also announced that Russian rider Viacheslav Kuznetsov's contract has been extended for the next two years, through 2016. "Last week, Viacheslav did a strong race at the WorldTour Eneco Tour. He showed his potential and I can say in these two years that he has spent in Team Katusha, he has seriously grown as a rider. I hope that in the next two seasons Viacheslav will continue his development and will reach a really high professional level," said general manager of Team Katusha, Viacheslav Ekimov.
Visconti and Castroviejo extend with Movistar
Movistar has secured the services of both Jonathan Castroviejo and Giovanni Visconti for a further two years. The pair both joined in 2012 and the new deal ties them to the team until the end of 2016.
Visconti joined the team after three years Farnese Vini-Neri Sottoli. His first season with the team did not live up to the promise of a three-time Italian Champion. However, Visconti battled his demons and took two impressive stage victories at the 2013 Giro d’Italia. Visconti’s season got off to a bad start, after he broke his leg during the People’s Choice Classic in January. He made a surprisingly quick recovery and made the cut for the Tour de France team.
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Castroviejo is due to begin the Vuelta a España this Saturday. The former Spanish national time trial champion supported Nairo Quintana at the Giro d’Italia earlier this season and will take the same role at the Vuelta, for Quintana and former champion Alejandro Valverde.
