Ale Cipollini bolster 2017 team with Taylor and Ensing

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Ale Cipollini announced the signing of Dutchwoman Janneke Ensing and Australian Carlee Taylor for the 2017 season. The two new recruits bring the team's confirmed roster up to six, after the they previously announced signing Chloe Hosking.

"We hired two athletes in harmony with the characteristics of the team philosophy, two girls who like to attack and live the race as protagonists," said the team's director Fortunato Lacquaniti.

Ensing joins the Italian program after spending two seasons with Parkhotel Valkenburg, and she spent four seasons with versions of the Boels-Dolmans team. Her career highlights include placing second at Gent-Wevelgem Women Elite in 2014 and 2015. This year, she finished fifth overall at La Route de France and won best climber classification, and was second in the Dutch road championships.

"Janneke is a very strong athlete on the climbs, with a robust and powerful physique," Lacquaniti said. "She touched twice the success at Gent-Wevelgem, winning two second places. In our team, she will grow again. I'm sure she will be an important player for the #yellowfluorange team."

Taylor joins the team from Liv-Plantur and has also raced for Lotto Soudal Ladies, Orica-AIS and Tibco in the past. In 2015, she finished third in the overall standings at the Trophée d'Or Féminin, then wore the best climber's jersey for four stages in the Giro Rosa. She has also been third and fourth overall at La Route de France.

"Carlee is an athlete who defends herself very well uphill," Lacquaniti said. "After a season full of falls and injuries, she is ready to get back into play, above all when the roads rise. In 2015, she made the life difficult to those who won the green jersey of best climber at the Giro Rosa.

"I believe that with the right motivations and in a new contest, she can give a big contribution to the team and she will be able to take some satisfaction in important races."

Alé Cipollini have confirmed six athletes so far for their 2017 line-up, with returning sprinter Marta Bastianelli and new signings Hosking from Wiggle High 5, Ensing, Taylor, along with Romy Kasper from Boels-Dolmans and Daiva Tuslaite from Inpa-Bianchi.