Transfer season: Di Gregorio joins Cofidis; Quick Step hires Polish riders
Rémy Di Gregorio will return to a French squad in 2012 after signing with Cofidis, the team announced Friday. Di Gregorio, 26, will leave Astana at the end of the season.
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Rémy Di Gregorio will return to a French squad in 2012 after signing with Cofidis, the team announced Friday. Di Gregorio, 26, will leave Astana at the end of the season.
“Rémy is a top supporter for Rein Taaramae, but he will also get the chance to play his own card,” said Cofidis manager Eric Boyer.
Frenchman Di Gregorio won the mountains classification at the Critérium du Dauphiné in 2010 and joined Astana for 2011 after spending the first six years of his professional career with Marc Madiot at Française des Jeux. He was Astana’s top GC finisher at the Tour de France, in 39th at 1:22:04.
Cofidis is reloading for 2012 following a down year and added the Paris-Nice stage winner this week after their pursuit of Sylvain Chavavel ended when the French champion re-signed with Quick Step-Omega Pharma.
Taaramae contended for the white jersey of best young rider at this year’s Tour de France, ultimately finishing second to Europcar’s Pierre Rolland. Di Gregorio should arrive to Cofidis as a top domestique for the young Estonian, but retain the freedom to continue his attacking style.
Quick Step hires
Quick Step has signed two young Polish riders, Michal Kwiatkowski and Michal Golas, for the next two season.
Kwiatkowski, 21, is with RadioShack this year. He is an rounder with good time trial skills. He won the junior world time trial championships in 2008 and was junior European road champion the year prior.
Golas, 27, has been pro since 2007 and rides with Vacansoleil this year. He was Poland’s U23 road champion in 2006.
“The arrival of these two young Polish riders contributes to the team’s current project of internationalisation for the near future,” said Quick Step’s Patrick Lefevere. “They are two interesting, young guys in whom we want to invest for the future of the team. In addition, Poland is an important country and it’s growing in terms of cycling culture and passion, as shown by the ever improving quality of the Tour de Pologne.”