Jakub Mareczko brings another pair of sprinting legs to Alpecin-Fenix
Jakub Mareczko brings another pair of sprinting legs to Alpecin-Fenix
Jakub Mareczko has signed a two-year contract with Alpecin-Fenix, confirming the rumours that followed news of his current team Vini Zabù’s dire straits.
“The team is specialised in sprints and one-day races and do great lead-outs,” Mareczko said in the Alpecin-Fenix announcement. “I’m convinced it’s a good choice for me to come here.”
The Poland-born Italian sprinter hasn’t had much luck with teams lately. This is the second time in twelve months that Mareczko has found himself scrambling for a contract after the folding of the CCC Team in 2020.
The move to ProTeam Vini Zabù marked a homecoming for the 27-year-old who spent the first four years of his career with the second-tier outfit before stepping up to WorldTour level. He’s been a prolific winner in his five seasons with the Italian team, enjoying particular success in Asia and smaller European races.
In 2021, Mareczko was the only rider to mount a podium in a Vini Zabù jersey, most notably beating Mark Cavendish on day one of Coppi e Bartali in March. However, it’s otherwise been a year to forget for the team that was notified this spring of its second doping positive within a year, and was forced to withdraw from the Giro d’Italia.
Mareczko now joins another ProTeam in Alpecin-Fenix, but it’s worlds apart in both character and success. He will be the team’s third sprinter alongside Tim Merlier and Jasper Philipsen, not to mention all-round powerhouse Mathieu van der Poel. The incumbent trio have all had multiple chances to go for individual glory alongside team duties, and Mareczko has all the attributes to do the same.
“I’m curious to find out how well I can do sprinting in the Alpecin-Fenix kit.”
The sprinter is one of several riders stepping into the winning ranks of Alpecin-Fenix for 2022, including Michael Gogl (Qhubeka NextHash), Stefano Oldani (Lotto Soudal) and Robert Stannard (Team BikeExchange).
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