Could EF Education-EasyPost be about to make two mid-season transfers?
Nothing has been signed but Savio confirms that talks are taking place over Andrea Piccolo and Jefferson Alexander Cepeda.
Heading out the door? Read this article on the new Outside+ app available now on iOS devices for members! Download the app.
The American squad already has Richard Carapaz in the bank for next year but that has’t stopped EF Education-EasyPost from making two potential mid-season transfers for the remainder of this season.
The riders in question are Jefferson Alexander Cepeda and Andrea Piccolo, both of whom currently race for Gianni Savio’s Drone Hopper-Androni Giocattoli.
On Tuesday the well-respected Italian journalist Ciro Scognamiglio reported that Piccolo could be on his way in a mid-season move and then it was discovered that Cepeda was listed as part of the EF team for the Vuelta a Burgos on the race’s official website.
“Esteban Chaves and Hugh Carthy will be accompanied by the Ecuadorians Jonathan Klever Caicedo and Jeferson Cepeda, the American Alex Howes, the Eritrean Merhawi Kudus and the British rider James Shaw,” the website posted.
EF’s general manager Jonathan Vaughters would not comment when contacted by VeloNews but under UCI rules riders can make mid-season transfers from August 1, as soon as the UCI’s transfer embargo is lifted. Eight years ago Rohan Dennis made a mid-season switch from Vaugthers’ team to BMC Racing.
When approached by VeloNews, Savio confirmed that moves for both riders could take place but that no deals had yet been signed. Any move would need to be ratified by the UCI before they could take place.
“Yes, they could happen but it’s not definitely finished. I think that it will be so because I discover many young riders and I’m happy when they have the possibility to go into the WorldTour. Masnada, Sosa, Bernal and now Natnael Tesfatsion will move from us to Trek-Segafredo next season,” Savio said.
Info @Gazzetta_it – From our sources we understand that for Andrea Piccolo (now with @DHAndroniTeam) could be a jump in world tour with @EFprocycling jersey. Talks for a mid-transfer move from 1 august @cycling_podcast 21 years old, Piccolo was 4/o at italian national champ
— Ciro Scognamiglio (@cirogazzetta) July 26, 2022
Capeda, 24, finished fifth overall in the Ionica Race earlier this year and second in the Giro di Sicilia. A strong climber, he also won Le Tour de Savoie Mont Blanc in 2021.
Piccolo, 21, started the season with Gazprom but was picked up by Savio earlier in the year when the team were forced out of racing due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine. The young Italian is seen as a huge talent and won the Ruota d’Oro – GP Festa del Perdono in 2021. He is also a former junior European and national time trial champion. He also won the Giro della Lunigiana back in 2019.