News Shorts: Ponzi moves to CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Astana-Acca Due O add Fanny Riberot, USA Cycling releases 2016 national championships calendar
Ponzi moves from Southeast to CCC Sprandi Polkowice
Simone Ponzi will move from Southeast to CCC Sprandi Polkowice for two seasons, the team announced Saturday.
Ponzi joined Southeast after riding for Neri-Sottoli for one season. Prior to that, he rode with three WorldTour squads - Astana, Liquigas-Cannondale and Lampre, beginning in 2009.
The 27-year-old has seven professional wins, including GP Nobili Rubinetterie Coppa Papa' Carlo in 2011 and 2014, Energiewacht Dwars door Drenthe in 2014, Gran Premio Costa degli Etruschi in 2014, GP Kranj in 2011 and stages of Vuelta a Burgos in 2013 and Tour De Slovénie in 2012. He also won silver at the 2008 world championship and was the U23 Italian champion in 2007.
"Ponzi is a similar rider to Grega Bole. He will replace Slovenian, who will not be riding for our team in 2016," said CCC director Piotr Wadecki. "Just like Bole, Ponzi is not a pure sprinter but is very fast and can stay with the strongest on shorter climbs.
"He specializes in one-day races. He is also a rider who knows how to win and he is a guarantee of at least few top-10 places for the team. Ponzi has large experience in WorldTour events and was quite successful in them."
Ponzi claimed 15 top-10 finishes this year with Southeast and ended the season especially well, taking second in GP Ouest France-Pluoay and fourth in Gran Premio Bruno Beghelli, Coppa Sabatini and Tre Valli Varesine. Earlier in the season he finished second in GP Nolibili Rubnetterie and second during s ateg of the Sibiu Tour.
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Astana-Acca Due O add Fanny Riberot
Astana-Acca Due O announced on Saturday that Fanny Riberot will join the team for the 2016season.
The 32-year-old French rider is the third signing for the team after it added talented Italian youngsters Sofia Bertizzolo and Sofia Beggin.
A talented sprinter, Riberot reacjed the podium in a World Cup for the first time this year Tour of Chongming Island in China.
"Fanny is a quite fast rider, and she can play different roles in the team," said team president Maurizio Fabretto. "She can support a sprinter in the final kilometers, or she can try for herself. In the finals that suit her the most we'll try to help her to reach other good results.
"Furthermore, she gained a lot of experience over the years in almost all the most important races of the international calendar, and we're sure that she'll give useful tips to the younger riders."
Next season will be Riberot’s 11th years as part of a UCI professional team. Rioberto comes to Astana from the Lointek team.
"I want to thank Lointek's management for everything they did for me, but after seven seasons in the same team I felt that it's time to change and I had no hesitation to accept this challenge," she said.
"At Astana I'll find a brand new ambience. The first impression is good and I'm very happy and proud to wear such an important jersey. I'm looking forward to start and know my new teammates. I will always be ready to help them, and I hope to get the best things possible from my opportunities."
USA Cycling releases 2016 National Championships calendar
USA Cycling unveiled its 2016 National Championships calendar on Friday, naming dates and locations for all 15 of next year’s National Championships as well as the 2016 BMX Olympic Trials and 2017 USA Cycling Cyclo-Cross National Championships.
"We have a very solid lineup of challenging 2016 National Championship events spanning coast-to-coast at many of America’s premiere cycling destinations," said Micah Rice, USA Cycling vice president of national events.
Highlighting the event lineup is the combined Professional Road & Time Trial and Masters Road National Championships, which will run in conjunction with the Winston-Salem Cycling Classic May 24-29 in Winston-Salem, N.C.
Also on the calendar is the second instalment of the USA Cycling Fat Bike National Championships February 27 in Ogden, Utah, and the inaugural Hill Climb National Championships August 13 at Pikes Peak in Colorado Springs, Colorado.
Complete 2016 USA Cycling National Championships calendar:
Jan. 5-10: Cyclo-Cross Asheville, N.C.
Feb. 19: Elite BMX Oldsmar, Fla.
Feb. 27: Fat Bike Ogden, Utah
April 16-17: Pro Criterium &TTT Greenville, S.C.
May 13-15: Collegiate Road Marshall & Weaverville, N.C.
May 24-28: Masters Road/Para Road Winston-Salem, N.C.
May 27-29: Pro Road & TT Winston-Salem, N.C.
June 4: Marathon Mountain Bike Colombia County, Ga.
June 11-12: BMX Olympic Trials Chula Vista, Calif.
June 30-July 3: Amateur Road Louisville, Ky.
July 12-17: Mountain Bike Mammoth Mountain, Calif.
July 25-31: Elite & Juniors Track Trexlertown, Pa.
Aug. 9-14: Masters Track Indianapolis, Ind.
Aug. 13: Hill Climb Colorado Springs, Colo.
Sept. 15-17: Collegiate Track Rock Hill, S.C.
Oct. 21-23: Collegiate Mountain Bike Snowshoe, W. Va.
Jan. 3-8 (2017): Cyclo-Cross Hartford, Conn.
