Cycling: The Polish champion Rafal Majka is switching to the German team BORA-hansgrohe for the coming season. The 27-year-old signed a 2-year contract and is supposed to strengthen the Grand Tour squad of the Upper Bavarian racing team, but at the same time support the young German talents in their development. After Peter Sagan, Majka is the second star signing for the German team, which in all likelihood will also be on the WorldTour for the coming season.
The BORA-hansgrohe team for 2017 is taking shape: After the sensational transfer of Peter Sagan at the beginning of the month, the next bombshell was dropped today, four weeks later, and the signing of Rafal Majka was announced. This year's Tour de France points winner, like Sagan, comes from Tinkoff, which will close at the end of the year. The bronze medal winner from Rio is bringing his compatriot Pawel Poljanski to his new sporting home.
BORA team boss Ralph Denk welcomes the agreement, but lets it be known that the planning for the next season is far from over: “I have always said that we will have to strengthen ourselves for the tours as well. With Rafal Majka we now have the first rider who can finish in the top 5 in a Grand Tour.” At BORA, Majka should not only ensure the corresponding results in the tours, but also introduce the young German talents in the team to the high level of the WorldTour: "We […] also see him as a driver from whom our young German-speaking talents such as Buchmann, Herklotz, Konrad or Mühlberger should benefit, so that they too are one day able to finish a Grand Tour in the top ten."