Sam Bennett's team has beefed up its roster; Bora-hansgrohe clearly intent on continuing with its significant success at WorldTour level in recent years. Above, Bennett wins Rund um Köln.
Bora-hansgrohe, the team of Irish sprinter Sam Bennett, has boosted its roster with two new signings for next year and beyond.
Jean-Pierre Drucker and Oscar Gatto have joined the German WorldTour outfit. It features Sam Bennett, Peter Sagan and Rafal Majka among stand-out performers.
The new riders have joined the outfit to add firepower and experience to its classics line-up.
Gatto joins from Astana and the now 33-year-old’s best career results include a Giro stage win, six years ago.
He won Dwars Door Vlaanderen in 2013, Gp Nobili Rubinetterie Coppa Citta Di Stresa in 2010 and three stages in the Tour of Austria, among other victories.
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Jempey Drucker has ridden for BMC Racing for the past four years. He won Ride London Classic three years and a Vuelta stage in 2016.
From Luxembourg, he also has two stage wins in the Tour of Luxembourg to his name, as well as a stage in the Tour de Wallonie, which came last year.
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Sagan has had a good year for the team; three stage wins and the Tour de France green jersey, as well as Paris-Roubaix among his victories.
Bennett has won Rund um Köln (1.1) this year, as well as his spectacular Giro with three stage victories.
And the team’s other fast man Pascal Ackermann has also come good of late; winning the German road title among a series of seven victories since his Criterium du Dauphine stage win in June.
It means while Gatto and Drucker are primarily coming into the team for the classics line-up, they will have plenty of riders to support who can win big races.
Both new signings have signed for two-year deals.
“After the first talks I had with Bora-hansgrohe, I immediately had a good feeling with joining them,” said Drucker.
“I like the way they’ve developed over the past few years to one of the best teams in the world. I am really looking forward to joining the Bora-hansgrohe family.
“First of all I will be there to strengthen the classics group around Peter Sagan, so that will be one of my main goals in the upcoming season.”
Gatto said the team was one of the biggest in the world and he was looking forward to getting started with his new employer.
“I am also happy to meet some former teammates like Peter and Rafal. For me this change also means a new challenge, new structures, new staff, but my role remains the same,” he said.
“I will be there to fully support the team and help them to reach their goals in the upcoming seasons.”
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