Capecchi and Szmyd sign for Movistar

Movistar announced the signing of Liquigas-Cannondale's Eros Capecchi and Sylwester Szmyd. The pair have both signed two-year contracts with the Spanish team and will join at the end of the current season.

Szmyd is known as a mountain strongman and at the age of 34, he is one of the most experienced and respected climbers in the peloton. Next season will be his 12th as a professional and the Pole will be charged with assisting Movistar's leaders Alejandro Valverde and Juan Jose Cobo at the Grand Tours over the next two years.

Capecchi is eight years younger than Szmyd, and the Italian is currently in his second spell with Liquigas. He has four professional victories on his palmares, with the most notable being a stage win at the 2011 Giro d'Italia.

Movistar team manager Eusebio Unzué has welcomed the addition of the two riders to the team roster and stated that he was looking forward to working with them.

"Szmyd has shown for many years that he is one of the best-equipped riders in the mountains and his incorporation is going to come in handy," he said. "Capecchi's talent still has considerable scope for progression and I hope that he may be able to achieve some important goals."

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