New title sponsors and team kit aren't the only changes in the works for the Holowesko-Citadel team that raced the past four years under the Hincapie Sportswear banner. The US Continental team will also get off to its earliest start ever this year when six riders line up next week for the Tour de San Luis in Argentina from January 18-24.
The seven-day UCI 2.1 race has become an alternative season starter to the Tour Down Under, the Australian WorldTour race that runs from January 19-24, and San Luis draws a stellar field of riders that this year includes world champion Peter Sagan (Tinkoff Team), Nairo Quintana (Movistar), Vincenzo Nibali (Astana), Andrew Talasnky (Cannondale) and Elia Viviani (Team Sky), among others.
Holowesko-Citadel team director Thomas Craven said his team's invitation to the race is the bi-product of a successful 2015 season that included a stage win at the Tour of California and three days in yellow there.
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“I think the reason for the early start is that with the success of last year we became a little bit more present in some of these promoters' minds as well as with the other teams,” Craven recently told Cyclingnews. “Last season we raced successfully and put on a good show. I think the connection between the promoter down there and George [Hincapie] – they're friends – so they reached out and talked to each other and we got the invitation that way.”
Holowesko won't be the first US Continental team to tackle San Luis. The Jamis team run by Argentinian Sebastian Alexandre has traveled to the January race for several years. Aside from the stiff competition, the race also offers varied terrain that includes sprint stages and days in the mountains, as well as a chance to acclimate to the hot-and-humid summer climate.
Craven said the Holowesko roster was chosen from a combination of riders who were willing to go, were suited to the stages and have had an opportunity to train properly without risking the rest of their season. Riders based in the western and southern US got the nod, while none of the team's European riders will cross the Atlantic for the race.
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