With the dust starting to settle on another season of racing it is time to look ahead to 2017. There have been a number of high profile rider signings since the summer with the World Champion Peter Sagan, Alberto Contador and Michael Matthews among those who have changed teams. Cyclingnews has picked 12 riders to watch for next season.
Peter Sagan
From: Tinkoff
To: Bora-Hansgrohe
The World Champion’s move to Bora-Hansgrohe was unquestionably the marquee signing of the summer, with the Sagan entourage – worth an estimated €6 million – aiming to hit the ground running in 2017.
The foundations at Bora were solid, yet unspectacular, and there will be few riders at the existing team who can begrudge Sagan’s position as top dog. Yes, Rafal Majka and Leo Konig both have stage race ambition but both will know their place and time will come as secondary ambitions if the two-time world champion is on the start line. Sagan is both the ringmaster and the main attraction.
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In terms of personal ambitions, almost anything is possible for Sagan. Milan-San Remo and Paris-Roubaix are both major objectives but frankly anything from the Tour Down Under in January until Paris-Roubaix are winnable. Another green jersey at the Tour de France looks a shoe-in, assuming he reaches Paris, while the World Championship course in Bergen, Norway looks more suited to him than this year. The last 12 months have been phenomenal - few would argue otherwise – but it could merely be the beginning
Ion Izaguirre Insausti
From: Movistar
To: Bahrain Merida
Buying yourself out of your contract at Movistar in order to join a new team with no history and an unproven structure certainly takes a certain courage but Izaguirre’s move to the Bahrain-Merida team has a logical ring to it.
With Vincenzo Nibali concentrating on the Giro d’Italia the squad lacked a possible leader for the Tour de France. Fellow new signing Giovanni Visconti even hinted to Cyclingnews in September that the French race could prove a secondary concern for the team from the middle east in during their debut season. With added uncertainly over the race programme of Joaquim Rodriguez, plus his ageing legs, Izaguirre has landed a potential Tour de France GC position should he have the desire to take it.
Alberto Contador
From: Tinkoff
To: Trek-Segafredo
Philippe Gilbert
From: BMC
To: QuickStep
Ben Swift
From: Team Sky
To: TJ Sport
Michael Matthews
From: Orica GreenEdge
To: Sunweb-Giant
Wilco Kelderman
From: Lotto JumboNL
To: Sunweb-Giant
Diego Rosa
From: Astana
To: Team Sky
Moreno Hofland
From: LottoNL-Jumbo
To: Lotto Soudal
John Degenkolb
From: Giant Alpecin
To: Trek Segafredo
Hugh Carthy
From: Caja Rural
To: Cannondale-Drapac
Lachlan Morton
From: Jelly-Belly Maxxis
To: Dimension Data
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
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