Australian team working overtime to add Spaniard to Burgos roster
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Carlos Verona (Etixx-QuickStep) during stage 4 at Tour de Romandie(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Carlos Verona Quintanilla (Etixx-QuickStep)(Image credit: Etixx - Quick-Step/Tim De Waele)
Carlos Verona leads the chase for Etixx-QuickStep(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Carlos Verona (Etixx-Quickstep)(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Carlos Verona arrives in Italy during the first rest day of the 2016 Giro d'Italia(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
In the last few hours Cyclingnews has learnt that Carlos Verona could be added to the Orica-BikeExchange roster in time for the Tour of Burgos which begins on August 2, meaning that he will be the second rider in recent years to make a rare mid-season transfer.
Earlier this week Cyclingnews broke the news that the 23-year-old Verona would move from Etixx-QuickStep to Orica at the end of the season on a two-year deal. The Spanish rider signed for Etixx in 2013 and raced the Giro d'Italia earlier this year. He has not raced since then, although the Vuelta a España was meant to be on his schedule for the second half of this year. Cyclingnews understands that his programme came under threat when it was confirmed that he would move to Orica.
Etixx's general manager, Patrick Lefevere was angered by the move, telling Cyclingnews on Wednesday that, "I'm not happy at all. I kept him for five years. He was always sick and always injured and we had a lot of patience. Then the first time he does a good race, he leaves. I don't like this. He and his agent said he was interested to stay but he signed with Orica during the Tour."
Under UCI rules riders can only make mid-season transfers if all parties agree and the paperwork is accepted by the UCI. The last rider to make use of this procedure was Rohan Dennis in 2014 when he moved from Slipstream Sports to BMC Racing. He raced the Vuelta a España a few weeks after making the move.
Verona may ride the Vuelta a España in Orica colours although that is yet unclear. Cyclingnews understands that the Orica team have now secured the release of Verona from Etixx QuickStep and if possible he may even start as early as the Tour of Burgos.
The UCI transfer window only opens on August 1, meaning that the paperwork must be approved by the UCI on Monday.
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Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.
