Trek-Segafredo’s new signings, Nibali talks Giro rivals: Daily News Digest
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Hello again, CyclingTips readers,
The week gets underway with a rest day at the Giro d’Italia, which gives us a chance to take stock of the race so far while also taking in the news from the rest of the cycling world.
Monday brought some big transfer news as Trek-Segafredo signed a former world road champion, a veteran sprint star, and a promising up-and-comer, with Amalie Dideriksen, Chloe Hosking, and Shirin van Anrooij all set to join the team on two-year deals next season.
Meanwhile, over at the Italy, Vincenzo Nibali weighed in on the GC situation. He and Jakob Fuglsang look like strong contenders right now, but Nibali sees a few others in the conversation at the moment.
Read on for more …
Dane Cash
News Editor
What’s News
| Trek-Segafredo signs Dideriksen, Hosking, and Van Anrooij
Trek-Segafredo is adding speed next season while also investing in the future. On Monday, the team announced the signings of 2016 world road champ Amalie Dideriksen, veteran sprint talent Chloe Hosking, and promising youngster Shirin van Anrooij.
“Shirin, she’s a young, intelligent rider who I think starts to figure out where she will go so it will be nice to help her develop as a rider and an elite and she what she will be in a couple of years’ time,” Trek-Segafredo director Ina Teutenberg told CyclingTips. “Chloe and Amalie are established pros in the peloton. I think we were lacking a little bit of speed in the last few years so it will be nice to have these two options, two experienced riders.”
Van Anrooij has been riding with Trek as a stagiaire over the past few weeks. Dideriksen, 24, is coming aboard after riding with Boels-Dolmans since 2015, while Chloe Hosking, 30, has spent this season with Rally.
| Nibali talks Giro rivals
After nine days of racing at the Giro d’Italia, two of the biggest pre-race favorites (Geraint Thomas and Simon Yates) are out of the event altogether, leaving a pretty open field of contenders to battle for the pink jersey in the 12 stages that remain.
Vincenzo Nibali is an obvious contender as he hunts for his third career win in the race and Jakob Fuglsang is another rider near the top of the favorites’ conversation, but Nibali said in a press conference during the rest day that he sees more than just himself and Fuglsang as riders to watch.
“We must not focus only on one rider and therefore we must watch both Kelderman and Kruijswijk, even if the latter lost a few seconds yesterday,” Nibali said, noting that Kelderman in particular has looked strong so far.
Kelderman moved into second overall on stage 9, behind only João Almeida, who has been particularly impressive in his first ever Grand Tour. Nibali was not sure what to expect from the 22-year-old.
“I can say that he is riding well, but no one really knows him, and he is discovering himself. I don’t think even he knows where he can go.”
| Deceuninck-Quick-Step will race the Tour of Flanders under a different name
Deceuninck-Quick-Step will take on the upcoming Tour of Flanders under a different name: Elegant-Quick-Step.
As a team press release puts it, Elegant is “Deceuninck’s ultimate window concept,” and the company is launching the new offering to coincide with the biggest bike race in Flanders.
| Mitchelton-Scott signs Italian youngsters Fidanza, Colleoni
Mitchelton-Scott announced on Monday that Italian youngsters Arianna Fidanza and Kevin Colleoni will join the squad on two-year deals.
Fidanza, 25, comes aboard from Lotto-Soudal, and Mitchelton is hoping to slot her as a contributor in the Classics.
Colleoni, 20, rode to third at the under-23 Giro Ciclistico d’Italia this season. He was expected to continue with Androni Giocattoli Sidermec, but according to Mitchelton, he “was acquired by mutual agreement” with the Italian ProTeam.
In case you missed it
| What if every team kit was more like EF’s Giro d’Italia outfit?
Belgian cycling fan Stijn Dossche reimagined several kits of the pro peloton in the style of the EF Palace kit.
| Nerd Alert podcast: Your next road bike might look like an airplane
The latest episode of the Nerd Alert podcast ponders future and potential UCI rules.
| Gallery: The Cobbled Classics begin with a wet and muddy Gent-Wevelgem
Photos from the Grubers and Kristof Ramon tell the story of an entertaining day of racing at Gent-Wevelgem.
Today’s featured image of Vincenzo Nibali on stage 9 of the Giro d’Italia comes from Cor Vos.
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