All smiles for Dario Cataldo after his hard-earned victory in the Vuelta's 16th stage.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) alone in the lead on the finishing ascent with its 24% gradient.(Image credit: Sirotti)
An exhausted Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) gathers himself after winning stage 16 of the Vuelta a Espana on the Cuitu Negru ascent.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) takes the biggest victory of his career in stage 16 of the Vuelta.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Dario Cataldo (Omega Pharma-QuickStep) on the podium after a hard-fought victory in stage 16 at the Vuelta.(Image credit: Sirotti)
Dario Cataldo will leave Omega Pharma-QuickStep and ride for Team Sky in the coming year, according to the Italian media. He won the 16th stage of the Vuelta a Espana on Monday, soloing in atop the Cuitu Negru after dropping his breakaway companion Thomas de Gendt (Vacansoleil-DCM) on the finishing climb.
Cataldo told tuttobiciweb.it, “I don't know what my role will be” at the British team. I have yet to talk about that with management. I've worked for three years to be competitive in the Grand Tours, but I'm willing to make myself available and do the the work that I will be given .... We'll see.”
The 27-year-old Italian won the Baby Giro in 2006. He turned pro the next year with Liquigas, winning two stages of he Tour de l'Avenir in 2007. Cataldo then joined QuickStep in 2009. This year he won the Italian national time trial title, and finished twelfth overall in the Giro d'Italia.
On Monday, he won the Queen stage of the Vuelta a Espana. He and Vacansoleil's Thomas de Gendt escaped from the field early and had up to a 15 minute advantage. Cataldo dropped the Belgian on the final two kilometers of the brutal final climb, claiming victory by seven seconds over de Gendt and two and a half minutes ahead of race leader Joaquim Rodriguez.
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