Cycling: Italy is actually a cycling-mad nation. Many professionals have held up their country's colors for decades. But we've been looking in vain for top Italian teams for a long time. In our big season preview for 2019 we start with Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec. After all, the Pro Continental team can call itself Italy's number one. Until December 24th, our readers can look forward to reports from 18 second-class teams in addition to the 6 WorldTour teams.
Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec 2018: consistently strong throughout the year
The Turin-based team Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec finishes a season in cycling as the best team in Italy for the second consecutive year. The strong performances in the UCI Europe Tour were decisive for this. Especially the young climbing specialist Ivan Sosa was able to attract attention there. The 21-year-old Colombian won the Vuelta a Burgos, the Sibiu Cycling Tour and the Adriatica Ionica Race. Many other riders contributed to the team's 85 podium finishes. While sprinters Matteo Malucelli especially at the beginning of the season, his compatriots cheered Fausto Masnada, Manuel Belletti, and Marco Benfatto and David Ballerini at the end of the season. The broad and balanced roster enabled the team leadership to have a say in races outside of the WorldTour and to act aggressively within the WorldTour. With third place on the 18th stage of the Giro d'Italia due to Mattia Cattaneo However, only one podium place in the highest class of cycling resulted.
Transfers: Ivan Sosa to Sky – but good new people are coming
In cycling it's like in football: the best teams often buy the good people away from the smaller teams. This is how high-flyers become Ivan Sosa 2019 no longer wear the colors of Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec, but the jersey of Sky. The 21-year-old Colombian isn't the first climbing specialist to be brought out by team boss Gianni Savio. He also had under his wing José Rujano, Iván Parra, José Serpa, Michele Scarponi, Jackson Rodríguez and Franco Pellizotti. So far, however, he has always managed to compensate for departures. If we look at the transfers for the coming season, this should succeed again. The team with the Italians loses Matteo Malucelli, Raffaello Bonusi and David Ballerini three other good drivers, but with seven new additions, the squad is not only strengthened in terms of width. Particularly Matteo Montaguti by AG2R La Mondiale and Matteo Pelucchi from Bora – hansgrohe should ensure one or the other success in the UCI Europe Tour.
departures | Additions | |
---|---|---|
David Ballerini (Astana) | Matteo Montaguti (AG2R La Mondiale) | |
Rafaello Bonusi (end of career) | Matteo Pelucchi (Bora – hansgrohe) | |
Matteo Malucelli (Caja Rural – Seguros RGA) | Matteo Busato (Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia) | |
Ivan Sosa (sky) | Miguel Eduardo (Wilier Triestina – Selle Italia) | |
Mattia Much (Holdsworth Pro Racing) | ||
Daniel Felipe Munoz (EPM) | ||
Leonardo Fedrigo (Elite 2) | ||
Androni Giocattoli – Sidermec 2019: is the road leading to the WorldTour?
There are 18 teams in the WorldTour - none of them are from Italy! Actually a condition that the cycling-mad country cannot let sit for years. It can therefore be assumed that this will change again in the future. The only question is whether a team from the second class of cycling will rise for this, or whether an Italian sponsor will simply join an existing WorldTour team through larger investments. Should the first scenario come about, Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec is certainly the first candidate for implementation. Strictly speaking, the team has been active in cycling since the 1996 season. After several name changes (including Selle Italia), the company has now reached the top of the pro-continental level. Androni Giocattoli - Sidermec will fight for first place in this class in 2019, especially with the teams Cofidis, Wanty - Groupe Gobert and Direct Energie.
Ballerini in fuga e Belletti ottavo allo sprint. II #giroditalia2018 It was initiated by l'Androni Giocattoli Sidermec. Gianni Savio fa i complimenti ai suoi a Tel Aviv. pic.twitter.com/RnuChg82it
— Androni Sidermec (@AndroniGiocatto) 5 May 2018
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