Team Sky to sign seven new riders for 2016

Team Sky have revealed they will sign seven new riders for the 2016 season, with young British rider Alex Peters named as the first on the list.

The British team said they will announce the remaining six names this week and have called on fans to guess the name of the riders in a Twitter competition, offering a custom 2016 team jersey as a prize.

Team Sky have moved to secure their core of British riders earlier in the year, with Pete Kennaugh, Geraint Thomas, Ian Stannard and Luke Rowe all staying with the team long-term despite reports of possible moves and interests from rival squads. Ireland's Philip Deignan has recently confirmed he has agreed to terms for a new two-year contract, with Ian Boswell also securing a new two-year deal.

With Bradley Wiggins now focused on the track and Richie Porte’s move to BMC confirmed, Team Sky are looking to boost their stage race squad to help and compliment Tour de France winner Chris Froome. As a result, new signings are expected to include Spain's Mikel Landa, 2014 world champion Michal Kwiatkowski from Etixx-QuickStep and Beñat Intxausti from Movistar.

Landa joins from Astana after finishing a surprise third at the Giro d'Italia and winning the tough Andorra stage at the recent Vuelta a Espana. He is likely to lead Team Sky at the 2016 Giro d'Italia, while Kwiatkowski will boost Team Sky's squad for shorter stage races and hilly Classics. Fellow Polish rider Michał Gołaś is expected to move with close friend Kwiatkowski. Intxausti won a stage at the Giro d'Italia but was not announced as part of the core of riders staying with Movistar for 2016.

Danny van Poppel will boost Team Sky's Classics and sprinter sector, while Italian U23 rider Gianni Moscon will join the team as a neo-pro along side Peters, who has been riding as a stagiaire in the final months of this season. Van Poppel won stage 12 of the Vuelta a Espana with a powerful sprint and will join Ben Swift and Elia Viviani as protected sprinters in Team Sky’s roster for 2016.

Thank you for reading 5 articles in the past 30 days*

Join now for unlimited access

Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1

*Read any 5 articles for free in each 30-day period, this automatically resets

After your trial you will be billed £4.99 $7.99 €5.99 per month, cancel anytime. Or sign up for one year for just £49 $79 €59

Join now for unlimited access

Try your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1