Cycling: Stefan Küng has made his decision. The Swiss time trial specialist is changing from BMC to Groupama-FDJ for the coming season. Rohan Dennis (BMC) and Pierre Rolland (EF Education) will also be on the road for a different team in 2019.
Stefan Küng signs with Groupama-FDJ for two years
Team BMC continues to lose rider after rider. Stefan Küng has now also announced that he will not be on the road for the successor team CCC in the coming season. The Swiss has signed for the French team Groupama-FDJ for two years, where his compatriots Steve Morabito and Sebastien Reichenbach are already driving. The time trial specialist is to be given the role of captain – especially in the individual time trials and the team time trials. But team boss Marc Madiot also sees a lot of potential in the classics.
Marc Madiot:
“He is still very young and still has a lot to show. But he is ready for the captaincy in week-long races with demanding time trials.”
Stefan Kung:
“When we sat down with Marc Madiot, we immediately hit it off. This team offers me a structure for my optimal development. Groupama-FDJ has recognized my potential and is offering me a role so that I can pursue my ambitions.”
Very happy to join @GroupamaFDJ for the next two years. Looking forward to this adventure. Bonjours les copains 🇫🇷😁 https://t.co/AD6q3nuO2j
— Stefan Küng (@stefankueng) August 9, 2018
Pierre Rolland & Rohan Dennis have also found new teams
Just as Team BMC and CCC have to say goodbye to their riders almost every day, Bahrain Merida secures numerous new riders. Accordingly, Rohan Dennis will also move from BMC to Bahrain Merida and will therefore not be available to the new sponsor CCC in the new season. Pierre Rolland has also found a new team. The Frenchman joins Vital Concept from EF Education. There they are now trying compulsively to finally secure a wild card for the Tour de France for 2019. With Bryan Coquard and now Pierre Rolland, the odds should be good. In addition, climber Carlos Verona (Mitchelton-Scott) will drive for Movistar next year, sprinter Jens Debusschere (Lotto Soudal) for Katusha-Alpecin.
Très heureux de vous advertisement mon engagement avec @VitalConcept_CC
J'espère des centaines d'attaques, de victoires et un immense plaisir partagé! Et tout cela avec beaucoup de Glaz 🤗https://t.co/guPRiwg8ct— Rolland Pierre (@PierroooRolland) August 9, 2018
Cycling transfers: All transfers at a glance
Who will wear a different kit next season? We have summarized all currently known cycling transfers of the WorldTour teams. We have found that the BMC and CCC teams in particular still need to recruit a few drivers, while Bahrain Merida is upgrading properly.
AG2R La Mondiale
Additions: Geoffrey Bouchard (CR4C Roanne)
Departures: Cyril Gautier (Vital Concept)
Team Astana
Additions: Jonas Gregaard (Stagiaire), Yuriy Natarov (Astana City)
Departures: Michael Valgren (Team Dimension Data)
Bahrain Merida
Additions: Phil Bauhaus (Team Sunweb), Marcel Sieberg (Lotto Soudal), Stephen Williams (SEG Racing Academy), Dylan Teuns (BMC Racing Team), Damiano Caruso (BMC Racing Team), Rohan Dennis (BMC Racing Team)
Departures: -
BMC Racing Team
Additions: Guillaume Van Keirsbulck (Wanty Groupe Gobert)
Departures: Tejay Van Garderen (EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale), Dylan Teuns (Bahrain Merida), Simon Gerrans (End of Career), Alberto Bettiol (EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale), Danilo Wyss (Team Dimension Data), Loic Vliegen (Wanty-Groupe Gobert), Damiano Caruso (Bahrain Merida), Rohan Dennis (Bahrain Merida), Stefan Küng (Groupama-FDJ)
Bora, hansgrohe
Additions: -
Departures: -
EF Education First-Drapac p/b Cannondale
Additions: Tejay Van Garderen (BMC Racing Team), Alberto Bettiol (BMC Racing Team), James Whelan (Drapac EF Cycling)
Departures: Pierre Rolland (Vital Concept)
Groupama-FDJ
Additions: Stefan Küng (BMC)
Departures: -
Lotto Soudal
Additions: Caleb Ewan (Mitchelton Scott)
Departures: André Greipel (Team Fortuneo Samsic), Marcel Sieberg (Bahrain Merida), Jens Debusschere (Katusha-Alpecin)
Movistar
Additions: Carlos Verona (Mitchelton Scott)
Departures: -
Mitchelton-Scott
Additions: Robert Stannard (Mitchelton BikeExchange)
Departures: Caleb Ewan (Lotto Soudal), Carlos Verona (Movistar)
Quick Step Floors
Additions: Remco Evenepoel, Mikkel Frølich Honoré (stagiaire), Barnabás Peák (stagiaire)
Departures: -
Dimension Data
Additions: Michael Valgren (Astana Pro Team), Danilo Wyss (BMC Racing Team), Matteo Sobrero (Dimension Data for Qhubeka, Stagiaire), Kent Main (Dimension Data for Qhubeka, Stagiaire), Connor Swift (Madison Genesis, Stagiaire)
Departures: -
Katusha Alpecin
Additions: Jens Debusschere (Lotto Soudal)
Departures: -
LottoNL Jumbo
Additions: Jonas Vingegaard (ColoQuick Cycling Team)
Departures: -
Sky
Additions: Ethan Hayter (stagiaire), Mark Donovan (Team Wiggins, stagiaire)
Departures: -
Sunweb
Additions: Cees Bol (SEG Racing Academy), Max Kanter (Development Team Sunweb), Joris Nieuwenhuis (Development Team Sunweb)
Departures: Phil Bauhaus (Bahrain Merida)
Trek-Segafredo
Additions: Matteo Moschetti (Polartec Cometa), Michel Ries (Polartec Cometa)
Departures: Grégory Rast (end of career)
UAE Team Emirates
Additions: Andrea Bagioli (Team Colpack), Alessandro Covi (Team Colpack), German Nicolás Tivani (Trevigiani Phonix-Hemus 1896)
Departures: -