First Ecuadoran WorldTour rider Carapaz set to join Movistar - News Shorts
New date for La Tropicale Amissa Bongo in 2017, British Cycling hiring Performance Director, Trek recalls Farley fat bikes, USA Cycling hiring events director
First Ecuadoran WorldTour rider Carapaz set to join Movistar
The Movistar Team will be the home of the WorldTour's first Ecuadoran rider in 2017 when Richard Carapaz joins as a neo-pro. The 23-year-old already raced with the Spanish team this summer as a trainee, and is looking forward to fulfilling his two-year contract.
"I had to put a lot of consistency and effort into the task," Carapaz said in a team interview. "Going out and making it into elite WorldTour is extremely difficult in a country like Ecuador. I love my country, yet it's sadly a football-focused country - you'll only get the help you need if you choose that sport. Happily, I had the chance to travel, racing in Colombia, and other places in the Americas like Argentina and Mexico, where I saw I had a talent for cycling and could make the most of it. I never gave up, and that was the key to getting here."
When Carapaz won the Vuelta a la Juventud in Colombia in 2015, he caught the eye of Movistar manager Eusebio Unzue, who wanted him to come to Europe and test himself in the Spanish peloton. He joined the Lizarte team directed by Manolo Azcona and former pro Juan José Oroz in April, and began netting some solid results. A second place in the Memorial Valenciaga in his first outing with the team, the Urraki hillclimb, the Lazkao Proba in the Basque Country, and the overall Vuelta a Navarra.
From there, he returned home before his abilities were put to the test with the WorldTour squad in his trainee period, and he said the first races were very difficult.
After that opening period with Lizarte, I hadn't any chance to keep that form in my country. There are no cycling races there, and even though I kept training conscienciously, it was difficult to make the step right against WorldTour teams on the way back because I had no racing form. Should I have wanted to race, I'd have had to do it in Colombia, which wasn't possible anymore. I switched my sights towards staying fresh and being willing to make those efforts in the late season - I was really aware that what I delivered during those months would be crucial so I could stay with the team."
A month into his campaign, he finished as third best rider in the Giro della Toscana in late September. Some courageous rides later, he was 25th in the Giro del Piemonte and earned his place in the Movistar squad for two seasons.
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"I really feel like home inside this team, and for this new season I haven't been really required anything from the management. We'll try to figure what's my place into the roster during the year itself," Carapaz said. "I asked to start my season in Mallorca, Andalucía… stage races where I can really get the feel of what I'd like to excel on as I grow up. Finding a reference for what would be my biggest wish as a pro: racing Grand Tours. My real dream? Winning a Giro d'Italia."
La Tropicale Amissa Bongo moves to February in 2017 due to African Cup of Nations
The UCI 2.1 La Tropicale Amissa Bongo, the biggest race on the African cycling calendar, will move from its normal January date to February next year to avoid clashing with the African Up of Nations football event. The race will take place February 25 through to March 5 with the full route expected to be announced in the coming weeks.
The 2016 edition of the race was won by Direct Energie's Adrien Petit with Natnael Berhane and Anthony Charteau among the other former winners.
Trek issues voluntary nationwide recall of some 2014 and 2015 Farley models
Trek Bicycles announced a voluntary recall of two years of its fat bike model, the Farley 6, from 2014 and 2015. The newer models were not affected by the recall, which was prompted by five warranty requests for noise and looseness in the headset. Trek found an "abnormality in the connection between the fork and steerer tube of these select Farley models has the potential to cause a separation at the base of the steerer tube", the release stated.
No injuries have been reported, but owners of the bike are urged to bring them to an authorized retailer for new parts and a $100 coupon. Upon discovering the issue, the company contacted the Consumer Product Safety Commission to begin the recall, which affects 4,635 bikes globally, 2,665 of which are located in the United States.
British Cycling issued a call for applications for its vacant performance director role today. The organisation has been lacking an elite performance director since David Brailsford stepped down from the role in 2014 to fully focus on Team Sky.
Until his resignation, Shane Sutton had performed much of the job's duties as technical director. Programme manager Andy Harrison has been filling in since Sutton's departure in May following allegations of discrimination.
"The new director will be expected to 'drive ambition to deliver annual inspirational success across all disciplines' and to help the governing body in retaining its position as the world's number one cycling nation," the announcement stated.
