Tvetcov will return to Jelly Belly in 2017

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After two years in Europe with the Italian Androni Giacattoli-Sidermac Pro Continental team, Serghei Tvetcov will return to the US with Jelly Belly-Maxxis in 2017, according to an announcement today on the team's website.

Tvetcov raced with the US Continental team in 2013 and 2014 after riding previously in the States for Team Exergy. The 27-year-old Romanian proved to be a talented all-rounder, notching numerous wins on the US domestic circuit, culminating with his third-place overall finish at the 2014 USA Pro Challenge in Colorado.

Results were harder to come by during his time with Androni, but he won both the Romanian time trial and road race championship in 2015, and then followed it up this year with a repeat win in the time trial. He also had the opportunity to race the Giro d'Italia last year, finishing 139th overall. He finished Milan-San Remo twice and closed out his tenure with Androni at Il Lombardia at the beginning of this month.

Tvetcov will help fill the void left in the Jelly Belly roster with the departure of Lachlan Morton to Dimension Data next year. The 24-year-old Australian raced for two years with the team, claiming the overall win at the Tour of Utah in August.

"Lachlan changed the dynamic within the team," said longtime Jelly Belly director Danny van Haute in a statement on the team's website. "We built a team based on stage races and we built it around a leader who could recruit the best aspects of every rider around him, while also motivating the team and keeping morale high. Jelly Belly presented by MAXXIS has benefited and continues to benefit from Lachy's time here."

Morton said his two years with the team were the best of his career.

"I will be forever grateful to this team," he said. "I have got renewed goals and dreams so I am heading back to Europe. Start of a new chapter and I couldn't be more excited."

Jelly Belly also added to the 2017 roster with Sean Bennett, a promising U23 all-rounder with international experience. He'll split his 2017 season between Jelly Belly and USA Cycling's U23 development program.

Returning to the team in 2017 are roleurs Jacob Rathe, Taylor Shelden and Angus Morton, as well as climbers Jordan Cheyne, Michael Sheehan and Josh Berry. Sprinters Ben Wolfe and Ulises Castillo will fight out the fast finishes for the Southern California-based team.

Jelly Belly p/b Maxxis 2017 roster: Sean Bennett, Josh Berry, Ulises Castillo, Jordan Cheyne, Angus Morton, Jacob Rathe, Michael Sheehan, Taylor Sheldon, Serghei Tvetcov, Ben Wolfe.