Konovalovas and Samoilau sign with Movistar
Lithuanian and Belarus time trial champions move to Spanish squad
Ignatas Konovalovas and Branislau Samoilau have signed for Movistar for 2011 and 2012. The Spanish squad has been strengthening its roster ever since the announcement that Movistar would take over sponsorship from Caisse d’Epargne.
The team has lost Luis Leon Sanchez to Rabobank but has signed Xavier Tondo (Cervélo TestTeam), Beñat Intxausti (Euskaltel-Euskadi) and Sergio Pardilla (Carmiooro-NGC). They will be joined by Konovalovas and Samoilau.
Lithuanian time trial champion Konovalovas was left without a squad for next season after the demise of Cervélo TestTeam but Eusebio Unzue has moved quickly to bolster his stable of rouleurs at Movistar. Konovalovas’ biggest win to date was a victory in the final time trial in Rome at last year’s Giro d’Italia.
Branislau Samoilau arrives from Quick Step after a season that saw him retain his Belarusian time trial title and put in some solid performances in the mountains at the Giro d’Italia. The 25-year-old rode with the Belgian squad for two seasons after spending his early years as a professional in Italy with Acqua & Sapone.
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Barry Ryan was Head of Features at Cyclingnews. He has covered professional cycling since 2010, reporting from the Tour de France, Giro d’Italia and events from Argentina to Japan. His writing has appeared in The Independent, Procycling and Cycling Plus. He is the author of The Ascent: Sean Kelly, Stephen Roche and the Rise of Irish Cycling’s Golden Generation, published by Gill Books.