Vincenzo Nibaliīs move to Trek-Segafredo - first revealed by Cyclingnews - has been confirmed by the owner of the teamīs co-title sponsor, Segafredo. In an interview with La Gazzetta dello Sport, Massimo Zanetti explained heīd wanted to sign the Italian for a number of years and `finally did it`. Segafredo joined forces with the American-registered Trek team at the start of the 2016 season but missed out when Nibali left Astana and joined Bahrain-Merida for 2017. Contract talks between Nibali and Bahrain-Merida management stalled this year over the length of a possible new contract, and Trek-Segafredo swooped in. Under UCI regulations, new signings cannot be made until August 1, but in reality deals are struck well in advance, and Zanetti was unequivocal when speaking to La Gazzetta.ADVERTISEMENT `I signed Vincenzo Nibali,` he said. `I`d wanted to very badly, and I finally did it.` Nibali is expected to bring a number of figures with him, including brother and teammate Antonio Nibali, his long-time coach Paolo Slongo, masseur Michele Pallini, and doctor Emilio Magni. The team already has Richie Porte as a Grand Tour leader, a new signing this year, but Zanetti was open in saying Nibali would become the figurehead of the squad. `I noticed that all the riders, even if it seems a paradox, need a patron, the `dad`,` he said. `Now the teams are more international, they have many managers, but what we need is a family relationship. Here Nibali will find all this and we will build a high-level team around him.`
You can read more at Cyclingnews.com
|