Bennati retires, Pedersen set to start 2020 season at TDU: Daily News Digest
Welcome to your Daily News Digest. Here’s what’s happening today:
Daniele Bennati is retiring, world champ Mads Pedersen will reportedly start his 2020 campaign at the Tour Down Under, Daniel Navarro will join Israel Cycling Academy from Katusha-Alpecin. Those stories and more in todays Daily News Digest.
Story of the Day: Bennati announces retirement
Daniele Bennati is retiring.
The 39-year-old Italian, who has spent the past three years with Movistar mostly in a support and road captain role, compiled a long list of achievements in his career, particularly in his early years with the Lampre and Liquigas organizations.
Across nearly two decades in the pro peloton, Bennati won 11 Grand Tour stages, including two at the Tour de France in 2007, as well as a points classification jersey at the Giro d’Italia in 2008.
Daniele Bennati at the Settimana Internazionale Coppi e Bartali. Photo: Dario Belingheri/LB/RB/Cor Vos 2019
He wrote on Instagram that back pain following a vertebra fracture sustained in a crash this spring led him to finally hang up the wheels.
“‘Dear Benna, you have to climb off.’ That is what my back told me a few days ago.,” he wrote.
Bennati struck a reflective tone as he bid farewell to the life of pro cycling.
“I can only thank all the people who have helped achieve my goals, help me fight the cold in the mountains, the heat of the desert, the wind and the rain, so that I could win 54 race,” he said.
“I’ve climbed off the bike and it’s time to start a new adventure but I’m convinced that, whatever happens and whatever I do, my life will always include that special thing that has two wheels and that for me is the meaning of life.”
Socially Speaking
Mark your calendars. The Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France unveil their routes within a week of each other, but we still have a few weeks to wait for the Vuelta a Espaa.
Race Radio
Navarro to join Israel Cycling Academy
Daniel Navarro and Jenthe Biermans are the latest Katusha-Alpecin riders that Israel Cycling Academy has announced as 2020 signees. Navarro, 36, counts a Vuelta a Espaa stage victory and two Grand Tour top 10s on his career palmares.
Daniel Navarro on stage 13 of the Vuelta a Espaa. Photo: Luis Angel Gomez/Cor Vos 2019
“I had to go through many months of not knowing what will happen next,” Navarro said in Israel Cycling Academy’s press release. Since May, we were living under that cloud. When the news lastly came that I will get the chance to continue with ICA – It was time for happiness and tranquility.”
Navarro brings plenty of experience as a stage racing specialist to his new team, while Biermans, 24, is an up-and-coming Classics specialist.
Tanfield says Katusha situation left him ‘high and dry’
Unlike Navarro or Rick Zabel, Harry Tanfield is one of the many Katusha-Alpecin riders who will not be making the jump to Israel Cycling Academy next year. The British up-and-comer is headed to Ag2r La Mondiale in 2020 after one year with Katusha.
As he told Cyclingnews, that year did not end well with Katusha leaving him “high and dry.”
“We got a letter in July saying the team was probably going to stop, ‘but dont worry, were sorting something out. Riders with contracts, youre all safe. Whatever happens, the licence is staying with something of some description’,” Tanfield told Cyclingnews.
“Then it got to late September and they were like ah, right, ok, weve sorted something out now but half of you with contracts have to go. So it was like ah, thanks for letting us know when its pretty much October fantastic.”
Pedersen set to start 2020 campaign at Tour Down Under
New world road champion Mads Pedersen will start his 2020 season at the Tour Down Under, Het Nieuwsblad reports.
Mads Pedersen raced in his rainbow jersey and on his rainbow bike for the very first time at the Tour de l’Euromtropole. Photo: kramon
The 23-year-old Dane will be making his third straight appearance at the Australian WorldTour race when it kicks off in January. He will be part of a strong Trek lineup at the race, with seven-time stage winner and 2017 overall champ Richie Porte set to return.
Gasparotto becomes Swiss
Enrico Gasparotto (Dimension Data) is now registered as a Swiss pro. The 37-year-old two-time Amstel Gold Race winner was born and raised in Italy and won an Italian road title in 2005, but has lived in Switzerland for years.
As Cyclingnews points out, he never started on the Italian squad at Worlds or Olympics. Now, he will be able to race for a different country as the Tokyo Games approach.
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Feature Image: The peloton on stage 16 of the Tour de France. Photo: kramon
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