Bicycle Racing News and Opinion,
Wednesday, December 12, 2018
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2018 Tour de France | 2018 Giro d'Italia
Everyone wants to be Cary Grant. Even I want to be Cary Grant. – Cary Grant
Upcoming Racing:
- December 15: Scheldecross
Latest completed racing:
- December 1: GP Hasselt
- November 18: Flandriencross
- November 11: Telenet Super Prestige Gavere Cyclocross
- November 4: European Cyclocross Championships
- November 1: Cyclocross Koppenberg
- October 28: Cyclocross Ruddervorde
- October 23 - 31: Tour of Hainan
- October 21: Japan Cup
- October 9 - 14: Presidential Tour of Turkey
- October 14: Chrono des Nations
UCI releases list of WorldTeams and Professional Continental Teams for the 2019 season
The UCI's press release:
Dec 11, 2018, 13:59 PM
In accordance with the UCI Regulations and following a full review of the files received according to all criteria for attribution (ethical, financial, administrative, and organisational), the UCI has decided (art. 2.15.070) to register the following UCI WorldTeams for the 2019 season [team name (UCI code - nationality)]:
- AG2R LA MONDIALE (ALM – FRA)
- ASTANA PRO TEAM (AST – KAZ)
- BAHRAIN – MERIDA (TBM – BRN)
- BORA – HANSGROHE (BOH – GER)
- CCC TEAM (CPT – POL)
- DECEUNINCK – QUICK – STEP (DQT – BEL)
- TEAM EF EDUCATION FIRST - DRAPAC P/B CANNONDALE (EFD – USA)
- GROUPAMA – FDJ (GFC – FRA)
- LOTTO SOUDAL (LTS – BEL)
- MITCHELTON – SCOTT (MTS – AUS)
- MOVISTAR TEAM (MOV – ESP)
- TEAM DIMENSION DATA (TDD – RSA)
- TEAM KATUSHA ALPECIN (TKA – SUI)
- TEAM JUMBO (JUM – NED)
- TEAM SKY (SKY – GBR)
- TEAM SUNWEB (SUN – GER)
- TREK – SEGAFREDO (TFS – USA)
Furthermore, the Licence Commission has decided (art. 2.15.071) to register the following UCI worldTeam:
- UAE TEAM EMIRATES (UAD – UAE)
In accordance with the UCI Regulations and following a full review of the files received according to all criteria for attribution (ethical, financial and administrative), the UCI has decided (art. 2.16.016) to register the following UCI Continental Professional Teams for the 2019 season [team name (UCI code - nationality)]:
- ANDRONI GIOCATTOLI – SIDERMEC (ANS – ITA)
- BARDIANI CSF (BRD – ITA)
- CAJA RURAL – SEGUROS RGA (CJR – ESP)
- COFIDIS, SOLUTIONS CREDITS (COF – FRA)
- DIRECT ENERGIE (TDE – FRA)
- EUSKADI BASQUE COUNTRY – MURIAS (EUS – ESP)
- GAZPROM – RUSVELO (GAZ – RUS)
- HAGENS BERMAN AXEON (HBA – USA)
- MANZANA POSTOBON TEAM (MZN – COL)
- NIPPO – VINI FANTINI – FAIZANE' (NIP – ITA)
- RALLY UHC CYCLING (RLY – USA)
- RIWAL READYNEZ CYCLING TEAM (RIW – DEN) – new UCI Professional Continental Team
- SPORT VLAANDEREN – BALOISE (SVB – BEL)
- TEAM ARKEA - SAMSIC (PCB – FRA)
- TEAM NOVO NORDISK (TNN – USA)
- THARCOR (THR – ITA)
- VITAL CONCEPT – B&B HOTELS (VCB – FRA)
- WALLONIE BRUXELLES (WVA – BEL)
Furthermore, the Licence Commission has decided (art. 2.16.017) to register the following UCI Continental Professional Teams:
- BURGOS BH (BBH – ESP)
- CORENDON – CIRCUS (COC – BEL) – new UCI Professional Continental Team
- DELKO MARSEILLE PROVENCE (DMP – FRA)
- ISRAEL CYCLING ACADEMY (ICA – ISR)
- ROOMPOT – CHARLES (ROC – NED)
- W52 / FC PORTO (W52 – POR) – new UCI Professional Continental Team
- WANTY – GOBERT CYCLING TEAM (WGG – BEL)
Overall, 18 UCI WorldTeams and 25 UCI Professional Continental Teams are registered for the 2019 season.
Visma is new sponsor of 2018's LottoNL-Jumbo team
The team sent me this:
Team Oranje, in which the speed skating and the cycling team of Jac Orie and Richard Plugge are united, has secured Visma as a second name sponsor for at least five years, starting in 2019. Norwegian company Visma provides business software, IT solutions for retail and IT-related development and consultancy. Both the speed skating and the cycling team will act as Team Jumbo-Visma [listed as "Team Jumbo" in the UCI's press release posted above].
It will be interesting to see what the 2019 Team kits will look like. Sirotti photo
“We are thrilled to be the new sponsor of one of the world’s best cycling and speed skating teams. Visma provides business-critical software to the public and private sector across a range of industries. We have now reached a stage where we are going from being a Nordic software brand to a Pan-European and supporting team Jumbo-Visma will be an important step in increasing our footprint in Europe”, says Visma CEO Øystein Moan.
“Thanks to the fruitful cooperation and the development that we have gone through together, Jumbo dared to support our vision for a long and indefinite period of time. This has not gone unnoticed. It has created appeal within the sports world and also in the business world. The agreement with Visma is a result of this”, explains Plugge.
“Visma has been interested for a longer period of time”, Plugge continues. “The long-term support of Jumbo, the resignation of Lotto and especially the way we have positioned ourselves in recent years have convinced Visma to partner up with us. We perform with athletes who have been developed in our team. Visma is the first Norwegian company to support cycling on this scale and I am very proud of that. Moreover, in Norway speed skating counts, just like in the Netherlands. The partnership with Visma underpins the strength of Team Oranje.”
Orie concurs with his fellow director. “I think it’s great that a company like Visma has chosen for our combined speed skating and cycling team”, he says. “As a Norwegian company, they display a big interest in both speed skating and cycling, just like many Dutch companies. That’s why this immediately felt like a good match. I look forward to using their knowledge of software in analysing our large amount of test data. I am convinced that by joining forces, we can take the next step in our development.”
“We believe this sponsorship will put the Visma brand on the European map and help Visma increase its presence and brand awareness in the Netherlands and throughout Europe. Visma is expanding its activities in the Netherlands and recently acquired one of the leading Dutch providers of payroll and HR software, Raet. Cycling is also a popular sport in both current and potential markets, making the sponsorship a great fit for Visma,” Moan concludes.
Ag2r-La Mondiale announces 2019 squad
Here's the team's news release:
The AG2R LA MONDIALE team has been strengthened with the arrival of 4 riders with different profiles. These signings, in the wake of a fine 2018 season, should allow us to shine during the spring classics with the hope of taking one of cycling’s big prizes before turning to stage racing.
Ag2r for 2019
After a great year with the amateurs and as a trainee with the team at the end of the season, Geoffrey Bouchard joins AG2R LA MONDIALE pro team. At 26, the amateur French champion will continue to progress with the professionals.
Dorian Gordon, a professional since 2017, chalked up his 1st victory during the 2018 season. With his blistering pace, this 22 year old racer will join us to bolster the Flanders Classics group.
An experienced rider and globetrotter, Larry Warbasse will be the 1st American rider to join the team. At 28, this former US champion and stage winner on the 2017 Tour de Suisse will bring his experience to the Ardennes Classics and also to stage racing.
The Finnish rider, Jaakko Hänninen, 3rd in the under 23s world championships, is part of the team as of August 1st.
The AG2R LA MONDIALE team will have 11 riders from Chambéry Cyclisme Formation, i.e. more than 1/3rd of its membership (38%).
LONG-TERM PARTNERS AND A NEW COLLABORATION
The team is lucky to have long-term support and more particularly in its partnership with AG2R LA MONDIALE, which began 21 years ago. The riders will wear EKOÏ helmets for the 8th season running, and Bollé glasses for the 5th season running. The association with the wheel brand Mavic is starting its 3rd year, whilst for the 2nd season running, Rosti will provide the team’s clothing lines with Levis providing daywear. Finally, the AG2R LA MONDIALE team is opening a new chapter with the Eddy Merckx Bikes brand which will be providing bicycles for the next 2 seasons.
VINCENT LAVENU – MANAGING DIRECTOR:
"The 2018 season showed us that everything is possible. The consistency of Oliver Naesen in the classics, Silvan Dillier’s exploits on Paris-Roubaix, Romain Bardet who was up there with the best riders in the world during the classics as well as on the Tour de France, Pierre Latour’s progress and of course the stage wins on the Spanish Vuelta secured by Tony Gallopin and Alexandre Geniez, marked a season full of thrills. And I won’t forget the unconditional support of our supporters and technical partners, without whom none of this would be possible. The team will be ready to begin its 28th season in the professional ranks and I’m sure that there are still some great chapters to be written in our story. Recruitment for the 2019 season is designed to continue our work in the wake of these great performances in 2018. The progress we’ve made over the seasons would not have been possible without the loyal, fraternal support of a partner like AG2R LA MONDIALE. Today, we are able to compete with the very best teams in the peloton. Over the years, we have built a mature, solid, united group. We work with ambition and humility, conscious that the very top spot on the podium is within our reach. We are ready to take up this new challenge, working with our leader, Romain Bardet, and a solid, ambitious team. The AG2R LA MONDIALE team has everything it takes for future success! Everything is possible. That is the message I would like to share with our riders and all our partners and supporters."
2019 ROSTER (29 RIDERS)
Gediminas BAGDONAS (LTU) – Romain BARDET (FRA) – François BIDARD (FRA) – Geoffrey BOUCHARD (FRA) – Mikaël CHEREL (FRA) – Clément CHEVRIER (FRA) – Benoît COSNEFROY (FRA) – Nico DENZ (GER) – Silvan DILLIER (SUI) – Axel DOMONT (FRA) – Samuel DUMOULIN (FRA) – Hubert DUPONT (FRA) – Julien DUVAL (FRA) – Mathias FRANK (SUI) – Tony GALLOPIN (FRA) – Ben GASTAUER (LUX) – Alexandre GENIEZ (FRA) – Dorian GODON (FRA) – Alexis GOUGEARD (FRA) – Jaakko HÄNNINEN (FIN) au 1er aout – Quentin JAUREGUI (FRA) – Pierre LATOUR (FRA) – Oliver NAESEN (BEL) – Aurélien PARET-PEINTRE (FRA) – Nans PETERS (FRA) – Stijn VANDENBERGH (BEL) – Clément VENTURINI (FRA) – Alexis VUILLERMOZ (FRA) – Larry WARBASSE (USA)
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