Trek-Segafredo is looking to sign Alberto Contador, according to Spanish website Biciciclismo. The team is looking to secure his services as a general classification contender but Trek is also keen to have him as a brand ambassador, with Fabian Cancellara set to retire at the end of the season.
Contador had mulled over the idea of retirement this year but has said that he could race for as many as two more seasons. With Oleg Tinkov pulling his funding after this year, Contador must look elsewhere for a ride in 2017. He has speculated that he may create his own team to do this but the multiple Grand Tour winner has also courted the interest of several WorldTour teams.
Lampre-Merida has already indicated their desire to have the Spaniard on-board and Trek-Segafredo had already been named as a potential destination for Contador. The American-registered team has been on the hunt for a new star rider for next season. They had been in talks with Vincenzo Nibali but those fell apart over the spring, with the newly crowned Giro d’Italia champion looking certain to go to the new Bahrain Cycling Team.
Dideriksen extends with Boels-Dolmans
Danish national champion Amalie Dideriksen has re-signed with the Boels Dolmans team, taking her through to the end of the 2018 season. The 20-year-old joined the team in 2015, enjoying a stage win at the Lotto Belgium Tour, the young rider classification at the Ladies Tour of Norway and her national road race title.
"I like my team mates, the staff, the organisation behind the squad, the way we race, our tactics, everything. We also have such a good atmosphere, everyone wants to help each other. I think this support for one another has been of tremendous value to the team and that it has helped us to set great results," said Dideriksen.
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Dideriksen's season is built around the Rio Olympic Games in August where she is looking to win gold on the track. The 2013 and 2014 junior road race world champion recently claimed the omnium silver medal in the European Championships behind Laura Trott and was tenth in the same event at the London Worlds in March.
On the road, Dideriksen is looking to impress against the clock. "I hope that I eventually can earn a spot on the team for the team time trial at the world championships," she said.
Team manager Danny Stam explained he is excited to have secured Dideriksen's short term future and is looking forward to working with her over the next two seasons.
"Amalie is a true talent and a winner. Someone who can win many sprints in the future. I believe she can develop into a strong classics contender," said Stam.
Castroviejo to making racing comeback at Tour de Suisse
Jonathan Castroviejo (Movistar) will make his return to racing at the Tour de Suisse, after almost four months on the sidelines following a crash with a spectator at the Volta ao Algarve. Castroviejo suffered a double fracture in his C7 vertebra and a fissure in his C1 and an olecranon in his elbow, and needed to wear a neck brace for two months as a result of the incident.
Castroviejo was able to take the neck brace off earlier this month and has been able to train normally since then. According to a report in Biciciclismo, the Spanish rider will ride at the Tour de Suisse with the intent of making the Tour de France squad that will support Nairo Quintana and the Rio Olympics. However, it does not say if he will target the defence of his national time trial title at the end of June.
The crash occurred on the descent of the Alto de Malhao as Castroviejo rode back to the team bus after a summit finish on the climb during the final stage of the Volta ao Algarve. A spectator moved into the path of the 29-year-old, leaving Castroviejo no time to avoid the collision. The race was just the second of his season after making his 2016 debut at the Dubai Tour earlier in the month.
Anthony Giacoppo strikes again at Tour of Japan
Avanti IsoWhey Sports's Anthony Giacoppo took his second win in three days as he sprinted to stage 2 success at the Tour of Japan. The Australian, who won the prologue, beat Jon Aberasturi (Team UKYO) and race leader Pier Paolo De Negri (Nippo - Vini Fantini) to move back into the yellow jersey.
The 30-year-old, who now also leads the points classification, was joined on the podium by teammate Chris Hamilton who continues to lead the young rider classification while Avanti IsoWhey Sports remain the top team with five stages to come.
Giacoppo's previous UCI wins also came in the one race, when he won two stages of the 2012 Tour de Taiwan.
