Teams & Riders Polti-Kometa

[Nirvana]

Any news? I think it is safe to say now that they won't go up to PCT. They only have 2 riders so far for next year (Fancellu, Garcia Gonzalez).

On the Italian forum a couple of days ago someone wrote that he heard Basso on TV confirming they'll stay continental next year.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Márton Dina and Erik Fetter will be the team's Hungarian riders for next year. Dina already joined the team for the last part of the season this year, starting from the Tour of Hungary, where he finished 2nd.

 

[Guszek]

Alejandro Ropero is the next rider who joins the team for 2020.

 

[F_Cance]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1180801577159970816

View: https://twitter.com/ollieman56/status/1180801577159970816


oh no

 

[LaFlorecita]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1180801577159970816

View: https://twitter.com/ollieman56/status/1180801577159970816


oh no

I just read that. Good for him but not that good for our team. Was counting on him being one of the major stars next year.
Hopefully they have some exciting reinforcements to be announced soon.

This is how it currently stands:

In:
Sergio García (Kometa U23)
Alejandro Ropero (Kometa U23)
Alessandro Fancellu (Kometa U23)
Erik Fetter (Pannon Cycling Team)

Staying:
Márton Dina

Out:
Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo)
Michel Ries (Trek-Segafredo)
Stefano Oldani (Lotto-Soudal)
Michele Gazzoli (Team Monti)

Unknown:
Samuele Rubino
Antonio Puppio
Diego Sevilla
Juan Camacho
Daniel Viegas
Isaac Canton
José Antonio García

Don't think we'll see anymore stepping up from the U23 team. Wouldn't be surprised to see a couple Italians joining like in earlier years, but so far it looks a bit underwhelming.

 

[LaFlorecita]

José Antonio García has confirmed he's staying with the team. He suffered from mononucleosis this year but seems to be fully recovered.
The team also announced the signing of Mathias Larsen from Denmark. Really odd signing, I can't find any particularly interesting results except his 3rd place in Paris-Roubaix for juniors in 2017.

 

[LaFlorecita]

With Kevin Inkelaar moving from Groupama U23 to Bahrain, we have another former member of the project on World Tour level for 2020. Thinking about our guys in the pro ranks, I remembered Joan Bou. He moved to Nippo two years ago, but as far as I know hasn't been announced anywhere for 2020. He's only 22, younger than some of the boys on our team. Maybe he'll return?

 

[Guszek]

The team has new co-sponsor: Xstra Digital Storage
We are waiting for new incoming transfers.

 

[LaFlorecita]

I am reading that Isaac Canton will move to Burgos-BH. He hasn't collected many important results but he always does a lot of work for his teammates. For that same reason I think Juan Camacho would be a good fit for one of the smaller Spanish pro teams. He's turning 25 next year so perhaps a bit old for our "youth" team, and he doesn't have any notable results, but he has a big engine.
Still no news on new incoming transfers.

In:
Sergio García (Kometa U23)
Alejandro Ropero (Kometa U23)
Alessandro Fancellu (Kometa U23)
Erik Fetter (Pannon Cycling Team)
Mathias Larsen (Team Waoo)

Staying:
Márton Dina
José Antonio García

Out:
Juan Pedro Lopez (Trek-Segafredo)
Michel Ries (Trek-Segafredo)
Stefano Oldani (Lotto-Soudal)
Michele Gazzoli (Team Monti)
Isaac Canton (Burgos-BH)
??? - Samuele Rubino (NTT Continental) - ???

Unknown:
(Samuele Rubino)
Antonio Puppio
Diego Sevilla
Juan Camacho
Daniel Viegas
Isaac Canton

 

[LaFlorecita]

New signing announced - 23 yo Italian Giacomo Garavaglia joins from Colpack. He collected a string of top-10 results in some Italian amateur races this summer. He also participated in bigger races like GP Lugano, Giro dell'Appennino and Tour of the Alps.

 

[LaFlorecita]

The team will no longer be affiliated with Trek-Segafredo next year. According to Ivan, they want to grow on their own. Also, the team will ride a new brand of bikes set up by... Alberto
Interesting times

 

[janraaskalt]

The team will no longer be affiliated with Trek-Segafredo next year. According to Ivan, they want to grow on their own. Also, the team will ride a new brand of bikes set up by... Alberto
Interesting times

Axeon will become Trek's development team?

 

[F_Cance]

is this pure speculation? Looks like it.

 

[janraaskalt]

is this pure speculation? Looks like it.

It's all here:

Alberto Contador lanzará su marca de bicicletas - Zikloland

Alberto Contador tendrá su propia marca de bicicletas desde el próximo año, que proveerá a los equipos de la Fundación Alberto Contador, según ha afirmado

www.zikloland.com

 

[F_Cance]

I mean the Axeon thing.

 

[janraaskalt]

I mean the Axeon thing.

O yes, but maybe more a question. Hence the question mark.

 

[Angliru]

The team will no longer be affiliated with Trek-Segafredo next year. According to Ivan, they want to grow on their own. Also, the team will ride a new brand of bikes set up by... Alberto
Interesting times

Very interesting. I look forward to hearing more.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Very interesting. I look forward to hearing more.

Maybe time for an upgrade

 

[Angliru]

Maybe time for an upgrade

Well my bikes tend to be old, formerly high end models, so I'll have to wait a few years till I can find one I can afford. I am a patient and diligent man.

 

[Guszek]

Riccardo Verza is the last transfer for 2020 season.

Full 2020 squad:

Camacho
Dina
Fancellu
Fetter
Garavaglia
Garcia
Garcia Gonzalez
Larsen
Puppio
Ropero
Sevilla
Verza
Viegas

 

[LaFlorecita]

Reading some really strange news/rumours. The team's Hungarian riders, Martón Dina and Erik Fetter, could join Androni if the team gets an invite to the Giro. I don't really see why Kometa would agree to it, perhaps their Hungarian backers are forcing their hand?

 

[LaFlorecita]

I think we can safely conclude now that there won't be another 'mystery' transfer to Trek as we speculated, and who knows if or when Ineos will start announcing their transfers.

It was announced today that Patrick Gamper (with the continental team in 2018) will ride for Bora next season. I thought it would be fun to check which former members of the project we'll be able to follow in the biggest races next year.

Enric Mas - Movistar
Matteo Moschetti - Trek
Michel Ries - Trek
Juanpe Lopez - Trek
Stefano Oldani - Lotto
Isaac Canton - Burgos
Patrick Gamper - Bora
Kevin Inkelaar - Bahrain
Joan Bou - Fundacion Euskadi
Alvaro Cuadros - Caja Rural
Fernando Barcelo - Cofidis
??? Carlos Rodriguez - INEOS ???

Have I forgotten anyone?

 

[JoeD1997]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm sure I saw Caja Rural confirmed Carlos Garcia to their U23 team

 

[LaFlorecita]

Maybe I'm wrong, but I'm sure I saw Caja Rural confirmed Carlos Garcia to their U23 team

Yeah, you're right. A couple others jumped ship to different U23 teams as well (for example Raul García to Lizarte U23) but I just limited myself to Pro Conti and Pro Tour teams.

 

[LaFlorecita]

Regarding Rodriguez's move to Ineos (Automatic translation)

“It is a source of pride for us that one of the most powerful structures in cycling today is one of our riders, because it comes to reward the great work that is being done in the youth category and, in addition, the importance of an initiative such as the Campus Selection that we organize annually. At the Foundation we have set ourselves the objective of training good cyclists and we continue to work. Personally, I would have liked to have been able to count on Carlos for more time in the Foundation’s teams, and that he would have faced some season with our U23 structure, but these are not decisions that are in our hands. For our part, it only remains to wish him the best for his career,” says Francisco Javier Contador, general manager of the sports structures of the Alberto Contador Foundation.


Sounds like the team has some doubts about this move as well