Taylor Phinney has confirmed that he has signed a two-year deal with Cannondale-Drapac. The 26-year-old American has raced for BMC Racing for the last six seasons but will start a new chapter of his career with Jonathan Vaughters' squad in 2017.
Phinney turned professional in 2011 and won the opening stage at the 2012 Giro d'Italia. In the last two years he has battled back from serious injury after a crash at the 2014 US nationals. He rode strongly at the recent Eneco Tour and is set to ride the team time trial at the World Championships in October. He is also expected to ride the individual time trial while riding for the USA.
Phinney is now 26. He will target the 2017 Classics campaign before looking to cement a spot in the Cannondale-Drapac squad for the Tour de France, where he will have a focus on the individual time trials. However, he also looks at his ambitions on a broader scale, as he looks to develop further as a rider.
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“My biggest goals are to grow in the Classics and then I have to get back into Grand Tours,” he told Cyclingnews after confirming his new deal.
“I’ve not done a Grand Tour in four years and those change you. They sculpt your body and your mind like no other race can. I’ve been feeling a bit behind in that sense. Next year is also about the opening time trial in the Tour de France and working with Cannondale on a new TT bike. They’re set to upgrade the current one and I’m excited to be part of that. So the goals are similar but the big picture is about harmonising it all with the races I’m doing, the team, and the equipment that I’m on.”
The last few years of Phinney’s career have been dominated by a serious accident that took place in 2014 at the US national championships. He broke his left leg in the horrific race accident and a long and painful rehabilitation followed with operations to heal the physical wounds. It has been a long road back for a rider who has experienced so much already in his career. There have been moments of self-doubt, disappointment, success and reflection but he is confident that this new chapter will be the start of a new brighter phase.
A return to his roots
Thanks to BMC
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