Davide Formolo will ride in Cannondale-Drapac colours for the last time at this weekend's Japan Cup, ending his four years in various shades of green argyle before starting a new chapter of his career with Bora-Hansgrohe next year alongside Peter Sagan.
The 24-year-old Italian seems genuinely sorry to leave but is convinced the time has come to make a change. He wants to further test his ability in the hilly Classics and Grand Tours and believes Bora-Hansgrohe is the best place to do it. They made him an offer that was difficult to refuse, and he was one of the German-based team's first signings for 2018.
"It was a hard decision to make, but I think I've made the right decision for my future. I had to change things, to continue to push my limits and try something new," Formolo tells Cyclingnews as he tries to control the long curly locks he's grown in recent weeks.
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"I was lucky that I'd ridden well at Liège-Bastogne-Liège and then at the Giro d'Italia, so there were a lot of teams interested. I chose Bora-Hansgrohe. It's a young team but has some long-term goals. Sagan is the big, big name; he's the biggest rider in the sport right now. But Bora-Hansgrohe has signed riders like Pete Kennaugh, Daniel Oss and already has the likes of Leo Konig and Rafa Majka. Now they've got me too."
Formolo secured his spot alongside Sagan at Bora-Hansgrohe during the summer but was saddened by the news that Cannondale-Drapac faced potential closure. He turned professional with the Italian-based Cannondale team and stayed when Jonathan Vaughters and Slipstream Sports took over in 2015. He saved the team's pride when he won a stage in the Giro d'Italia and has continued to develop his hilly Classics and Grand Tour skills.
"When I heard that the team could disappear it was a really painful moment for me. I had a new team, but I knew that some riders and staff would struggle to find a new team at such short notice. Fortunately, they managed to save the team and find a new sponsor. I'm happy for everyone," Formolo says.
Finishing on a high
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