Davide Malacarne (Astana)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Kristijan Durasek (Lampre-Merida) takes the stage 2 win(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Nelson Oliveira (Lampre - Merida)(Image credit: Bettini)
Nick Van Der Lijke (LottoNl-Jumbo)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Having finished eighth overall at the Vuelta a Espana, Mikel Nieve has announced a two-year contract extension with Team Sky. The Basque climber joined the British squad in 2014 following the closure of the Euskaltel-Euskadi team. Nieve won the final stage of the 2014 Critérium du Dauphiné but has primarily ridden as a domestique for Chris Froome with Sky but was given the opportunity to pursue his own personal ambitions at the Vuelta last month after Froome was forced to abandon.
Astana have announced Italian veteran Michele Scarponi is the latest rider to extend his contract with the Kazahk WorldTour team. Davide Malacarne has also extended his contract into a second year with the team having joined from Europcar at the end of last season.
Scarponi will continue his role as a climbing domestique for Vincenzo Nibali at the grand tours next season having ridden in support of the 2014 Tour de France winner since joining the team at last season. Malacarne will support the team's other general classification rider, Fabio Aru, who he helped to second overall at the Giro d'Italia in May.
The team announced earlier in the week that Dario Cataldo and Diego Rosa had been handed two year extensions, while Paolo Tiralongo will continue racing for another season in the professional ranks having turned pro in 2000.
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Nelson Oliveira moves from Lampre-Merida to Movistar
Vuelta a Espana stage winner Nelson Oliveira will ride in the blue colours of Movistar from next season according to biciciclismo.com. The Spanish site explains the stage 13 solo victory sealed the move from Lampre-Merida where the 26-year-old has been since the 2014 season.
The time trial specialist is a three times national Portuguese champion against the clock with his characteristics assisting his late attack to claim his first road win at the Vuelta having held off his former breakaway companions. Oliveria rode for the Xacobeo-Galicia when he turned professional in 2010 before moving onto the RadioShack squad the following season, making his grand tour debut at the Vuelta a Espana.
Neo-pro Jorge Arcas is the only signing Movistar have made official since the transfer window opened on August 1 this year.
Sebastian Lander signs for ONE Pro Cycling
British team ONE Pro Cycling have announced it has signed former BMC sprinter Sebastian Lander for the 2016 season. Created by former England wicketkeeper, ONE Pro Cycling made its debut this season at the Continental level but is expecting to move up the ranks and race as a Pro-Continental squad from 2016, a first for Britain.
Lander spent the 2013 and 2014 seasons with BMC winning the points jersey at the 2013 Tour of Britain but has been racing with Team Trefor-Blue Water this season.
"I am really pleased to be a part of ONE Pro Cycling in 2016. I feel lucky to be a part of a new Pro-Continental team that already works as a pro team and has belief in my ability," 24-year-old Lander said. "ONE Pro Cycling has showed me that they are self-confident and that they aim to achieve the best from the start, together with highly qualified sports directors, coaches, equipment and riders."
Prior added that the WorldTour experience of Lander was one of the reasons the team signed the 2012 Danish national road race champion.
"After talking to and meeting Sebastian it became very clear how motivated he is to come and ride for ONE Pro Cycling and that motivation will only stand a rider of his quality in good stead," Prior said. "With such a big step up for the team next year it will be a great asset having someone with Seb's experience not only having been involved with a World Tour team like BMC but also having raced in some of the biggest races."
The team are expected to announced three more signings for 2016 in the next week.
Durasek remains with Lampre-Merida for two more years
2015 Tour of Turkey winner and Tour de Suise stage winner Kristijan Durasek has extended his contract with Lampre-Merida for the following two season his team have confirmed. The 28-year-old joined the team in 2013 winning the Tre Valli Varesine in his first season and making his Giro d´Italia debut.
"I'm very happy for having extended my contract, my first aim was to continue with Lampre-Meridam," Durasek said, "I signed an agreement which gave me the exciting opportunity to wear in 2016 and 2017 the blue-fuchsia-green colours, I really hope these two years will be full of satisfaction.
"Lampre-Merida is an amazing group where a rider can find everything I needs to improve his cycling qualities. Thanks to the management and to the sponsors of the team, I'll try to do the best for them."
The extension of the Croatian's contract with Lampre-Merida was an easy decision said team manager Brent Copeland.
"You can always rely on Kristijan, he's always so competitive in every race he participates and in every climbs," Copeland said. "In 2015 he made a really important step towards a top quality level, having also obtained a prestigious success in the Tour of Turkey and in one stage of the Tour de Suisse.
"His future role will be even more important, because he'll have his good opportunities for achieving personal goals and he'll be a precious support for the captains whenever this will be necessary."
In other transfer news, Nick van der Lijke has signed for Roompot after two season with the LottoNL-Jumbo team. Van der Lijke recently crashed out of the Tour of Britain with a broken collarbone and dislocated collarbone.
Click here for the regularly updated Cyclingnews' guide to 2015-2016 rider transfers.
