VN news ticker: Trek-Segafredo renews Quinn Simmons through 2023; Aleksandr Vlasov signs with Bora-Hansgrohe

Quinn Simmons extends with Trek Segafredo through 2023

American Quinn Simmons is staying at Trek-Segafredo for two more seasons, the U.S. team announced on Monday. Simmons, 20, has inked a renewal with Trek-Segafredo that will take him through the 2023 season.

Simmons recently won the overall at the Tour of Wallonie, and he is set to make his grand tour debut this week at the Vuelta a España.

In a release, team manager Luca Guercilena called Simmons “an exciting rider.”

“His attacking style of racing aligns with our approach, and I think he will be a rider to watch closely in the next years,” Guercilena said. “Of course, Quinn is still a very young guy, but now we see many riders this age enjoying success. He has great potential, and we are relishing the opportunity to help Quinn continue to find his footing in the pro ranks and develop into a well-rounded athlete.”

Simmons’ contract extension kicked off a flurry of renewals over the past week for Trek-Segafredo. For 2022 the team will bring back Edward Theuns, Alex Kirsch, and Emil Liepins on two-year deals, and Alexander Kamp through the 2022 season.

Aleksandr Vlasov signs with Bora-Hansgrohe through 2024

Aleksandr Vlasov will be riding in Bora-Hansgrohe colors next season. It was confirmed Monday that the highly touted Russian GC candidate has signed with Bora-Hansgrohe through 2024 after spending two seasons with Astana.

“Aleksandr is certainly one of the biggest talents with respect to stage racing and we’re very pleased that he has decided to join us,” said Bora-Hansgrohe manager Ralph Denk. “We will definitely set our sights on the grand tours with him. In the medium term, the goal is the Tour de France, yet he still has to learn and develop further, which might be easier at the Giro or Vuelta.”

Vlasov will be a part of a strong GC unit at the German squad in 2022. Bora-Hansgrohe will have Emanuel Buchmann, Wilco Kelderman, and new recruits Jai Hindley and Sergio Higuita on the books next season.

Denk said that all riders will see their own opportunities.

“We are now very broadly positioned in terms of GC riders, but that was also our goal,” he said. “Each rider will receive his chances. I’m confident that we’ll form a great team that will open up tactical possibilities and put us in a position to be right up there.”

Vlasov, 25, placed fourth at this year’s Giro and finished 11th at year’s Vuelta a España. After placing 3rd in last year’s Il Lombardia, the Russian indicated he is hoping to spread his wings with Bora-Hansgrohe.

“My focus is definitely on the grand tours. It will be about continuing to work hard with Bora-Hansgrohe to develop myself, because one day I hope to win one of the big three grand tours,” Vlasov said. “But I also think that I’ll have some chances in tough one-day races. I was already third at Il Lombardia and a victory in a monument would of course be very nice.”

https://twitter.com/BORAhansgrohe/status/1424656781989588994

Miguel Ángel López, Enric Mas, Alejandro Valverde to lead Movistar at Vuelta a España

Miguel Ángel López, Enric Mas and Alejandro Valverde will headline Team Movistar at its home grand tour this month.

Movistar confirmed its selection for the Vuelta a España on Monday. Home talent Enric Mas and Colombian ace López will lead the GC charge, while Valverde will captain the team and hunt for stage wins.

Mas will bounce into the Vuelta off the back of a second-straight top-six at the Tour de France. The 26-year-old Spaniard steadily clawed his way through the rankings in France this summer and slotted into sixth place with a series of strong rides through the Pyrénées. Mas has placed second and fifth in his last two Vueltas and home hopes will be running high.

López will be looking for better luck than he had at this summer’s Tour, where an early crash saw him fall out of GC contention. He failed to flourish from there and abandoned early with an eye on the Olympic Games.

Mas, López, and Valverde will be supported by Nelson Oliveira, Carlos Verona, Johan Jacobs, José Joaquin Rojas and Imanol Erviti.

https://twitter.com/Movistar_Team/status/1424639943809413122

Ineos Grenadiers, Deceuninck-Quick-Step, Jumbo-Visma headline 2021 Tour of Britain

The Tour of Britain has confirmed the teams set for September’s race.

Seven WorldTour squads and four ProTeams will headline the British eight-stage race. Ineos Grenadiers, Deceuninck-Quick-Step, Jumbo-Visma, and Movistar are among the top-tier outfits destined for Britain, while American crew Rally Cycling and Alpecin-Fenix will also line up in Cornwall on September 5.

“What a race we have in store for us this September! Once again, we’ve attracted the world’s biggest teams to the Tour of Britain, and I know they’re going to put on a show for the home fans and our worldwide TV audience,” said race director Mick Bennett. “Combined with those British domestic teams we’ve invited, who always ride fearlessly and get stuck in, I really cannot wait for the racing to begin now!”

The Tour of Britain was canceled in 2020 due to COVID restrictions. Mathieu van der Poel won the 2019 edition of the race, but it is not yet confirmed whether the Dutchman will start this September.

https://twitter.com/TourofBritain/status/1424625995588374531

Confirmed teams for 2021 Tour of Britain:

Alpecin-Fenix (Belgium)
Caja Rural-Seguros RGA (Spain)
Canyon dhb SunGod (Great Britain)
Deceuninck-Quick-Step (Belgium)
Global 6 Cycling (New Zealand)
Great Britain (Great Britain)
Ineos Grenadiers (Great Britain)
Israel Start-Up Nation (Israel)
Movistar Team (Spain)
Rally Cycling (U.S.A.)
Ribble Weldtite Pro Cycling (Great Britain)
Saint Piran (Great Britain)
SwiftCarbon Pro Cycling (Great Britain)
Team Arkéa-Samsic (France)
Team DSM (Germany)
Team Jumbo-Visma (Netherlands)
Team Qhubeka NextHash (South Africa)
Trinity Racing (Great Britain)