CCC Sprandi Polkowice signs Szymon Sajnok

Szymon Sajnok signed a two-year deal with CCC Sprandi Polkowice, completing Polish second tier team's roster for 2018.

The 20-year-old competes both on the road and on track and is widely considered one of the most talented endurance track riders of his generation.

In 2016, aged just 19, Sajnok took silver in the omnium at European Track Championships in espoirs category and claimed victories in omnium competitions during  Track World Cup rounds in Apeldoorn and Los Angeles, topping the overall classification, too. On track he is also a member of a recently rebuilt Polish endurance team that eyes Olympic Games in Tokyo and has recently broken the four minute mark in team pursuit.

On the road, Sajnok had a rocky start with a Continental squad Attaque Team Gusto. This year he participated in a number of stage races, claiming the prologue of Tour of Kumano (2.2) and sprinting to third in one of Tour of Qinghai Lake (2.HC) sprint finishes.

"I want to develop as a road rider but I hope that this will also ensure my progress on track. CCC Sprandi Polkowice is an established group and I hope everything works out," – Sajnok said in an official team press release.

Having signed the Kartuzy-born rider, CCC Sprandi Polkowice is set to race with 20 riders in the coming season. While the overall number decreased only by two, the team has undergone a major reshuffle, seeing Felix Grosschartner, Jan Hirt and Maciej Paterski leave. The Austrian and the Czech signed with Bora-hansgrohe and Astana respectively, while Paterski's contract was not renewed after parties failed to reach an agreement.

The team has also silently parted ways with six other riders – Marcin Białobłocki, Simone Ponzi, Nikolay Mihaylov, Jakub Kaczmarek, Marcin Mrożek and Branislau Samoilau. In their stead, Marko Kump (UAE Team Emirates) and Paweł Franczak (Team Hurom) – riders capable of contesting smaller group finishes or supporting team sprinters – were brought in. With two newly-signed rouleurs – Paweł Bernas (Domin Sport) and Kamil Gradek (ONE Pro Cycling) – the team is expected to focus more on flatter stages and one-day races and play cards of Jan Tratnik, Jonas Koch, Frantisek Sisr or Alan Banaszek.

With a reduced number of riders, the gap left by Grosschartner and Hirt is unlikely to be filled. However, contracting Paweł Cieślik (Elkov-Author) and Volta a Portugal runner up Amaro Manuel Antunes (W52 FC Porto) should give the Polish team some options in more mountainous races.

The team known for its distinct orange jersey took 17 victories this season, prevailing mostly on home soil. The team also managed to help Hirt finish 12th in Giro d'Italia, while two youngsters – Alana Banaszek and Michal Schlegel – were up against the top riders at Tour de l'Avenir.