Former Italian international and pro rider Matteo Cigala leaves the peloton for dust in the A3 race at Newbridge back in March (Photo: Sean Rowe)
By Brian Canty
Aquablue has boosted its squad for next season with the acquisition of former junior and U23 Italian international Matteo Cigala from Navan Road Club.
The talented 22 year-old joins an already strong-looking squad that includes Anthony Walsh, Colm Cassidy, Greg Swinand, Sean McKenna and John Horgan, amongst others.
Cigala rode many of the biggest races in the world as a junior and first-year espoir - including the Nations Cup and World Championships - before quitting the sport and deciding to travel the world.
He ended up in Co Meath after his girlfriend settled there and he commenced a business degree in Ireland.
And in an effort to integrate more into Irish life he took out a racing licence this year and joined Navan RC.
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By March he was already winning – taking the Newbridge GP - despite only beginning training in January after a long lay-off.
By joining the Cork-based team for next year he is now a part of one of the strongest set-ups in the country, managed by ex-international Timmy Barry.
And with time on his side, not to mention bags of talent and race craft, he could do very well on the Irish scene if he puts his mind to it.
We’ll have a chat with Cigala later this week.
Winning the Villa di Serio junior race in his native Italy back in 2010. He would ride for Italy to World Championships level before deciding he wanted to travel and see the world, without his bike.
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