Sunweb signs Benoot, Pozzovivo faces lengthy recovery: Daily News Digest
Welcome to your Daily News Digest. Here’s what’s happening today:
Tiesj Benoot is headed to Sunweb next season, Domenico Pozzovivo is recovering from surgery after he was hit by a car while training, Lawson Craddock takes the lead at the Tour of Utah. Those stories and more in today’s Daily News Digest.
Story of the Day: Benoot signs two-year deal with Sunweb
Tiesj Benoot will leave Lotto-Soudal to join Sunweb in 2020 on a two-year deal, his new team announced on Wednesday.
The versatile Belgian, 25, has emerged as a threat in both one-day and one-week races in recent years, winning big at Strade Bianche in 2018. He has raced with Lotto-Soudal since a stint as a stagiaire there in 2014 before turning pro with the team in 2015.
“I was looking for a team with a professional and scientific approach where I can make the next steps forward in my career; that’s why I chose Team Sunweb,” Benoot said in the signing announcement.
“I’m looking forward to joining a strong group of classics riders at the team, where I believe we can achieve some great results in the coming years. My biggest goal is to further grow and develop as a rider in general and turn that into results with the team.”
Socially Speaking
Good stuff from the always-creative aquietbird on Instagram …
Race Radio
Long recovery ahead, but Pozzovivo vows to return to racing
Domenico Pozzovivo (Bahrain-Merida) is recovering after a six-hour surgery to treat the injuries he sustained when he was hit by a car while on a training ride. As La Gazzetta dello Sport reports, rider and team are uncertain what the future holds for the 36-year-old Italian following the incident, but Pozzovivo has said he will return to the road.
“My career can’t end like this,” Pozzovivo said, according to La Gazzetta. “I’ll come back.”
Domenico Pozzovivo at the Tour de Suisse. Photo: VK/PN/Cor Vos © 2019Pozzovivo was preparing for the upcoming Vuelta a España before the incident, in which he sustained arm, leg, and rib fractures. He is expected to spend at least a few months in recovery.
“The first goal, considering that Domenico is 36, is to make a full recovery, then we’ll think about him as an athlete,” Bahrain-Merida’s team doctor Emilio Magni told La Gazzetta dello Sport. “He’s taken a big hit.”
According to La Gazzetta, Italian police are looking into the incident to determine further details of what happened when he was hit.
Cataldo and Villella to join Movistar
The Italian duo of Dario Cataldo and Davide Villella will ride on as teammates in 2020, but for a new team. Both will leave Astana at the end of the season to join Movistar on two-year contracts.
Cataldo, 34, has enjoyed a lengthy career as a domestique and stage-hunter in the Grand Tours, having won stages in both the Vuelta a España and the Giro d’Italia. Villella, 28, has also logged a few years experience as a climbing domestique and occasional breakaway rider. He won the mountains classification at the 2017 Vuelta.
Marengo takes Utah stage 1, Craddock takes lead
Lawson Craddock (EF Education First) is the new leader of the Larry H. Miller Tour of Utah after Tuesday’s stage 1, won by Umberto Marengo (Neri Sottoli).
Umberto Marengo wins stage 1 of the Tour of Utah. Photo: Bryan Hodes/Cor Vos © 2019
The hilly 139.9-kilometer stage in North Logan City saw a busy finale. Prologue winner and overnight leader James Piccoli was penalized 20 seconds for drafting behind a car following a late puncture, while attacks split the head of the race. Craddock and Marengo were part of a small group that jumped clear in the last few kilometers, with Marengo topping Craddock and Edwin Avila (Israel Cycling Academy) at the line.
Craddock now sits atop the general classification with a six second advantage over Joao Almeida as Wednesday’s challenging stage 2 to Powder Mountain awaits.
Tech News
Google Maps showing Lime vehicles in over a hundred cities
Google Maps has started showing available Lime scooters and e-bikes to Android users in over a hundred cities globally, with functionality coming for iOS users in August.
“In addition to showing you the best biking and transit route in Google Maps, you’ll now be able to see if Lime scooters or e-bikes are available, how long the trip will take, and the most efficient route to get there,” said Vishal Dutta product manager at Google Maps, according to bikebiz.com. “From Stockholm to Sao Paulo, you can now use Google Maps to locate Lime vehicles to get you to your destination.”
In case you missed it …
Feature Image: Tiesj Benoot on the Col du Galibier. Photo: ©kramon
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