After another successful season, Wiggle Pro Cycling Team will continue forward into the 2011 season with yet another co-sponsor eager to support the youth development and performance at a high level. San Pellegrino joins Wiggle on the venture to seek promotion to the Pro Tour level of cycling, and adds even more Italian spice to the mix.
Continuing in the sponsorship of the team are Filmop, Bottoli, Elite, Colnago, Campagnolo and Rudy Project.
Joining the team in sponsorship this season, along with San Pellegrino, are Giro, Giordana, and Lotus.
With such a strong background to the team, all finances are secure, and the riders can focus simply on riding their bikes.
With a budget sheet that was full last season, the space for new riders this coming season may be limited. Desires for one or two extra Italians or British riders to join being high on the list of goals to achieve early on in the new season, but we think we have ample talent to succeed in promotion next year to the Pro Tour.
Leif Hoste Ben Hermans Kevin Ista Matthew Hayman Danilo Wyss Artur Gajek Stefan Radochla Ronny Scholz Simone Cadamuro Gabriele Balducci Tom Stamsnijder Jan Hopman Stefan van Dijk Bas Giling Timothy Cassidy Jure Golcer David Blanco Marcos Arriagada Carlos Alexandre Manarelli Peter Velits
Ben Hermans Kevin Ista Russell Hampton Luke Rowe Matt Rowe Steven Cummings Richard Tanguy Tom Diggle Andrew Fenn (On Loan at 100% ME) Paolo Locatelli Daniele Ratto Damiano Caruso Leonardo Bertagnolli Chiaffredo Grippo Teodoro Costagli Simone Ponzi Rinaldo Nocentini Ivan Rovny Nikolai Trusov Joseph Cooper Paolo Scarponi
Wiggle - San Pellegrino 2011
Ben Hermans Luke Rowe Matt Rowe Richard Tanguy Jonathan Tiernan-Locke Tom Diggle Andrew Fenn (On Loan at Carmeuse Cyclisme) Russell Hampton Paolo Locatelli Stefano Locatelli Daniele Ratto Damiano Caruso Chiaffredo Grippo Teodoro Costagli (On Loan at Vesuvio - Accumalux) Simone Ponzi Rinaldo Nocentini Leonardo Bertagnolli Marcello Pavarin Dario Cataldo Mikhail Ignatiev Paolo Scarponi
Edited by rjc_43 on 25-03-2011 17:18
Wiggle - San Pellegrino Professional Cycling Team are very proud to announce their goals for the coming season. Expectations are through the roof this year, and they are based purely on the squad already in place.
After discussions between managerial staff, and the sponsors, now over, the budget can be displayed.
It was a unanimous decision between both main sponsors, Wiggle and San Pellegrino, to push for promotion this season. With that in mind, the managerial staff fully believe in the talent the team possesses, and aim to Win the Continental Rankings. A clean 1 million euros was bounced up by both Wiggle and San Pellegrino for this task alone, with each sponsor also requesting their own goal. Wiggle requests that the team comes in the Top 5 of the General Classification in the Tour of Britain, potentially an easy task going on this past years feat of winning it! Whilst San Pellegrino ask that a Top 5 in the Giro dell'Emilia is achieved. With the combo of Ponzi and Caruso, it is doubtfull that a top 3 cannot be achieved, let alone sneaking into the top 5.
A further 2 million euros was put up by the secondary sponsors. Lotus stating that a Stage Win at the Tour of Britain would further enhance their image in the British Isles. The remaining smaller Italian sponsors grouped together to ask for a bit of publicity by Winning their home grown race, the Giro di Lago di Garda. Not such an easy feat, but what do you expect from Italians, eh!?
A sneaky 211,000 euros were also found in the bank as left-overs from last year, and the bonuses that weren't paid out. So a grand total of 4,211,000 Euros will be the teams budget for the year. Every cent will be needed to achieve any of the hard goals set out.
Goals
/ Win the Continental Team Rankings Stage Win, Tour of Britain Win Giro di Lago di Garda Top 5 GC, Tour of Britain Top 5, Giro dell'Emilia
Wiggle - San Pellegrino Professional Cycling Team are very happy to announce the renewals of all existing rider contracts for the coming season. The team hopes that a few moves will not weaken the team during the coming transfer period, but will indeed strengthen the squad and increase the chances of winning the Continental Tour.
Wiggle - San Pellegrino are sorrowful to announce the migration of our two treasured Russians. Ivan Rovny, a talented Russian puncheur, joined Wiggle Pro Cycling Team last season, hailing from the promoted Team B&O. After winning the Tour Down Under for B&O, he never quite resurfaced in the same form, but brought some stunning rides to Wiggle. Claiming to be the domestique of the season, he was resigned on a hefty wage of 90,000 euros. However, this wasn't enough to persuade him to stay on at Wiggle, with the team favouring to bring in more Italians and Brits over his desire to rejoin his old Tinkoff captain, Evgeny Petrov.
Well, Rovny's desire was attained as Tinkoff Credit Systems resurfaced in the form of Tinkoff Credit Systems - Rosneft this season, led, once more, by Oleg Tinkov. A phone call later, and Wiggle - San Pellegrino could see what a move would mean to the young Russian. A good deal was made to ensure Ivan did not lose grasp on reality.
With Rovny half out the door, our second Russian, Nikolay, requested to be moved too. Oleg Tinkov was over the moon to be in possesion of two talented individuals once more, and again, a cheap deal was made to ensure both riders were not pressured to perform for their new manager.
Nikolay joined the team last season, coming from the Free Agency after his contract was not renewed. Wiggle quickly jumped at the chance to bring him onto the team. A little extra track time yielded great results in bringing Nikolay's kick back to life. Some great sprints this season will be missed from the Russian dark horse.
We'd like to thank both riders for their great riding over the past season, and wish them both luck in their new (old?!) squad!
Edited by rjc_43 on 19-03-2010 01:36
In a somewhat happier note, Wiggle - San Pellegrino are very proud to announce the signing of their first transfer for the season. Marcello Pavarin joins the Anglo-Italiano set up, coming from Pro Tour giants Wikipedia. After recieving a contract late in the season last year after a kind word from the Wiggle staff, Pavarin was very happy to come to the squad to repay a years great riding.
Having learnt from riders like Jerome Pineau, Simon Spilak and Dave Zabriskie, Pavarin is looking forward to coming to a level where he can truely perform.
Marcello originally hails from Tinkoff Credit System's feeder squad, so to join the old Tinkoff Credit System team (Wikipedia) for a season was a natural progression for the talented Italian.
Hopefully, he has found his true home.
A complete replacement for Ivan Rovny, Marcello will be playing the domestique this season to riders like Simone Ponzi and Damiano Caruso.
Keep an eye out for more Transfer News in the future.
Further Transfer News greets Wiggle fans today, as another Brit joins the Anglo-Italian team. Jonathan Tiernan-Locke, heralding from the South-West, joins the team as the next climbing domestique. Touted as a potential Pro Tour domestique, Tiernan-Locke will be looking to develop in his first year on a professional team at the lower levels of the Continental scene.
Look out for him at the British Isle races in the 2011 season.
We have yet more ground breaking news for Wiggle - San Pellegrino.
Long serving Belgian, Kevin Ista, has moved on. Seen as surplus for requirements, Ista was placed on the transfer list to seek a new team. He quickly found it on the Pro Tour team of Carmeuse Cyclisme. This is the second time he'll have performed on the Pro Tour level, hopefully he'll manage to stay there this season.
The past season had been fairly successful for Ista, in that, as a team mate, he performed admirably, rising to the occasion in the end of season race, Tour of Faso.
Unfortunately, the chances for Ista to ride in his favoured terrain - the cobbles, were limited at Wiggle. With only the East Midlands CiCle Classic and the Tour of Faso being targetted races.
So he's moved on a free transfer to ride on the cobbles some more. We wish him all the best.
Last season Wiggle managed to sign the supreme talent that is Rinaldo Nocentini. Unfortunately, Nocentini requested a vastly reduced wage with the demand that he'd be expected less of for this coming season. Rinaldo definately wanted to continue with the squad, seeing the potential in the young riders. So, with this in mind, we began our search for either the next new talent in Stage Races, or an already established rider.
Wiggle first settled upon Tom Faiers, but it became apparant he did not wish to join the Anglo-Italian scene quite yet, prefering to be based in the UK still.
Dario Cataldo, on the other hand, already a resident of Italian soil, was very happy to move from the Pro Tour and a French team, to a more comfortable scene in the Continental level.
So, with great enthusiasm, Wiggle - San Pellegrino Professional Cycling Team are proud to announce, potentially, the biggest signing to date in the teams history, Dario Cataldo.
Dario will be taking a slightly back seat role this season, as there will be limited chances for him to show his climbing legs, as, once more, Wiggle - San Pellegrino focus on the hilly classics.
It has been rumoured, however, if the finances allow it, that Wiggle will try to appear once more in the Pro Tour, either at the Giro d'Italia, or at least at Tirreno - Adriatico. Either choice should hopefully give him a chance to ride with the big teams, and show that Wiggle should be feared by Pro Tour, and Continental Tour alike.
Our thanks to Credit Lyonnais for developing such a strong rider.
More transfer news has become apparant for the Wiggle - San Pellegrino staff to become very excited about.
Not only has our number of brothers doubled on the team, with Stefano Locatelli joining his brother Paolo for this coming season. But the biggest signing in Wiggle history since last years nab of Rinaldo Nocentini, has occured.
Stefano Locatelli
Mikhail Ignatiev, an immensely strong time trialist and rider for the flat roads, has joined us hailing from 100% ME.
Mikhail's love of the Italian roads, coupled with his appriciation of British management meant the move from 100% ME to Wiggle literally made his day.
We're over the moon to have a rider of Mikhail's calabre on the team, and believe, with his addition, other teams will find it very difficult to out-perform us in the race against the clock.
So, without further ado, welcome to Stefano Locatelli and Mikhail Ignatiev!!!
Well, with all incomers accounted for, it's just left to announce the release of both Steven Cummings, and Joseph Cooper.
Joe joined Wiggle last season, filling a spot needed for lead out men. It was hoped he'd also show signs of leadership in several races, but it wasn't until the Tour of Faso that he did that. As Wiggle will be unlikely to focus on sprints this season, and combined with the development of both the Rowe brothers, and the hoped development of Daniele Ratto, Joe was allowed to look for employment elsewhere.
Jack Wolfskin granted his, and our, wish, and offered a handsome sum of money to purchase Joe's abilities in the sprint and the time trial. A move to the pro tour marks the high point of Joe's career so far, and we wish him all the best.
The last rider to leave the team this season is our long-term rider Steve Cummings. He joined the team in the days when Wiesenhof just pulled out of cycling, and Wiggle jumped in. Since then he's helped develop our relationship with the British firm Wiggle, and strengthen us to a point where we can go for promotion.
Steve's desire to help progress cycling within the British Isles was such that we thought it best if he continued to help the number of British teams in the Pro Tour increase. With that in mind, he's moved onto the Pendleton's team, based in the United Kingdom to aid the British development.
We hope to see both Steve and Pendleton up in the Pro Tour ranks in the next few years.
2010 Best Result:
2.PT - Tour of California - 8th GC
Crashed out of Giro on way to Top 15 GC
2011 Results:
2.1 - Tour of Wellington - 5th GC
2.GT - Giro d'Italia - 1st Stage 6, 5th Stage 14
2.GT - Giro d'Italia - 11th GC
2.1 - Giro del Trentino - 5th Stage 2
2.1 - Giro del Trentino - 6th GC, 4th KoM
1.1 - Transfagarasen GP - 5th
2.1 - Tour of Slovenie - 3rd Stage 1
2.1 - Tour of Slovenie - 5th GC
1.1 - Tour of Pendle - 9th
Simone Ponzi
17.01.1987
Puncheur
€140,000
2009 ~ Amateur
2010 ~ Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
2011 ~ Wiggle - San Pellegrino
2010 Best Result:
2.GT - Giro d'Italia - 1st Stage 7
2.HC - Tour of Britain - 1st GC
2011 Results:
1.HC - Bloemfontein Classic - 3rd
2.PT - Tirreno-Adriatico - 1st Stages 1 & 7, 4th Stages 4 & 6
2.PT - Tirreno-Adriatico - Leaders & Points Jerseys 1 Stage
2.PT - Tirreno-Adriatico - Young Riders Jersey 3 Stages
2.PT - Tirreno-Adriatico - 5th GC, 2nd Young Riders GC
2.PT - Tirreno-Adriatico - 2nd Points, 4th KoM
2.GT - Giro d'Italia - 2nd Stage 5, 5th Stage 9
2.1 - Giro di Sardegna - 1st Stage 3, 2nd Stage 1, 5th Stages 2 & 5
2.1 - Giro di Sardegna - Young Riders Jersey 5 Stages
2.1 - Giro di Sardegna - Points Jersey 4 Stages
2.1 - Giro di Sardegna - 2nd GC, 1st Young Riders GC, 1st Points
1.1 - Profonde van Drenthe - 2nd
1.1 - Vuelta Ciclista a la Rioja - 5th
2.HC - Euskal Bizikleta - 7th GC, 1st Young Riders
2.1 - Tour of Luxembourg - 2nd Stage 5, 3rd Stage 4, 5th Stage 3
2.1 - Tour of Luxembourg - Young Riders Jersey 3 Stages
2.1 - Tour of Luxembourg - 4th GC, 1st Young Riders GC
1.1 - Tre Valli Varesine - 2nd
1.1 - GP of Wales - 2nd
1.1 - Giro di Lago di Garda - 1st
1.1 - GP Plouay - 3rd
2.HC - Tour of Britain - 1st Stage 4, 2nd Stage 5
2.HC - Tour of Britain - 3rd GC
1.1 - Milano-Torino - 3rd
1.HC - Giro dell'Emilia - 5th
Ben Hermans
08.06.1986
Puncheur/Rouleur
€120,000
2008 ~ Wiesenhof
2009 ~ Wiggle - Premier Inn [Loan at Wikipedia]
2010 ~ Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
2011 ~ Wiggle - San Pellegrino
2009 Best Result:
1.PT - Liege-Bastogne-Liege - 37th
2010 Best Result:
1.1 - Fyen Rundt - 1st
2011 Results:
2.HC - Tour Down Under - 4th Stage 3
2.1 - Volta ao Algarve - 4th Stage 1
2.1 - Volta ao Algarve - Young Riders Jersey 1 Stage
2.1 - Volta ao Algarve - 6th GC, 1st Young Riders GC
2.1 - Quatre Jours de Dunkerque - Young Riders Jersey 2 Stages
2.1 - Quatre Jours de Dunkerque - 9th GC, 1st Young Riders GC
1.HC - Dutch Food Valley Classic - 7th
2.1 - Tour of Belgium - 1st Stage 4
2.1 - Tour of Belgium - Leaders and Young Riders Jerseys 1 Stage
2.1 - Tour of Belgium - 3rd GC, 1st Young Riders GC
1.1 - Fyen Rundt - 6th
Edited by rjc_43 on 24-03-2011 19:26
Rinaldo Nocentini
25.09.1977
Climber/Puncheur
€130,000
2007 ~ Lampre - Fondital
2008 ~ La Gazetta dello Sport
2009 ~ La Gazetta dello Sport
2010 ~ Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
2011 ~ Wiggle - San Pellegrino
2007 Best Result:
2.PT - Vuelta Ciclista al Pais Vasco - 1st GC
2008 Best Result:
1.PT - Zurich-Metzege - 7th
2009 Best Result:
1.PT - Fleche Wallone - 6th
2010 Best Results:
2.1 - Giro del Trentino - 1st GC
2.GT - Giro d'Italia - 12th GC
2011 Results:
2.1 - Giro del Trentino - 11th GC
2.GT - Giro d'Italia - 22nd GC
1.1 - Vuelta Ciclista a la Rioja - 6th
1.1 - GP de Quebec - 9th
1.HC - Japan Cup - 4th
Leonardo Bertagnolli
08.01.1978
Puncheur
€180,000
2007 ~ Liquigas
2008 ~ Domina Vacanze
2009 ~ Wiggle - Premier Inn
2010 ~ Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
2011 ~ Wiggle - San Pellegrino
2009 Best Results:
1.PT - Milan San Remo - 15th
1.1 - GP Bradlo - 1st
2011 Results:
1.HC - Bloemfontein Classic - 5th
2.1 - Giro del Trentino - 1st Stage 3
2.1 - Giro del Trentino - 9th GC, 4th Points
2.1 - Presidential Tour of Turkey - 4th Stage 3, 5th Stages 6 & 8
2.1 - Presidential Tour of Turkey - 7th GC, 2nd Young Riders, 2nd King of the Mountains
1.1 - Rund um den Eischborn Frankfurt - 2nd
2.1 - Tour of Luxembourg - 5th Stage 2
1.1 - GP of Wales - 7th
1.1 - Giro di Lago di Garda - 7th
1.1 - Fyen Rundt - 1st
1.1 - Tour of Pendle - 6th
1.1 - GP de Quebec - 8th
1.PT - Giro di Lombardia - 2nd
Edited by rjc_43 on 24-03-2011 21:18
2011 Results:
2.1 - Tour of Wellington - 8th GC
2.1 - Volta ao Algarve - 3rd Stage 2
2.1 - Giro di Sardegna - KoM Jersey 1 Stage
2.1 - Presidential Tour of Turkey - 3rd Stages 4 & 7
2.1 - Presidential Tour of Turkey - Young Riders Jersey 4 Days
2.1 - Presidential Tour of Turkey - 2nd GC, 1st Young Riders
1.1 - Fyen Rundt - 10th
Paolo Locatelli
04.11.1989
Puncheur
€50,000
2010 ~ Wiggle Pro Cycling Team
2011 ~ Wiggle - San Pellegrino
2010 Best Result:
2.1 - Ster Elektrotoer - 2nd King of the Mountains
2011 Results:
2.U23 - Tour de l'Avenir - 25th GC
2.1 - Tour of Wellington - 7th KoM
Wiggle - San Pellegrino are happy to announce their sponsorship of several riders in the U23 ranks. These riders will continue with their amateur teams for the majority of this season, before jumping in to join the "real deal" towards the end of the race calender.
Julien Paquet
09.08.1990
Time Trial
€10,000
2011 ~ Wiggle - San Pellegrino [Stagiare]
2011 Best Result:
2.HC - Tour of Missouri - 44th Stage 1
Mustafa Sayar
22.04.1989
Puncheur
€10,000
2011 ~ Wiggle - San Pellegrino [Stagiare]
2011 Best Result:
2.1 - Tour of Ireland - 18th Stage 1
1.NC - Road Race - 1st Turkish National Championship
1.NC - Time Trial - 1st Turkish National Championship
Wiggle - San Pellegrino Professional Cycling Team are happy to announce several races that the team will be attending. The team has applied to many HC category races, and was rewarded with places in the following:
Bloemfontein Classic ~ January 3rd
Tour Down Under ~ January 14th - 19th
World's View Challenge ~ April 3rd - 7th
East Midlands CiCle Classic ~ April 11th
Dutch Food Valley Classic ~ May 16th
Philadephia International ~ June 3rd
San Sebastian Classic ~ July 31st
Tour of Missouri ~ August 30th - September 3rd
Tour of Britain ~ September 2nd - 9th
Vattenfall Classic ~ September 17th
Giro dell'Emilia ~ October 6th
Japan Cup ~ October 23rd
Wiggle - San Pellegrino are also currently waiting for news on Wildcards into Pro Tour races to be announced. The team applied for 16 races, and hope to race in at least 4.
Wiggle - San Pellegrino are happy to announce the team have been rewarded with the following Wild Card entries into Pro Tour races:
Giro d'Italia ~ May 1st - 21st ~ Squad headed by Dario Cataldo, Simone Ponzi and Luke Rowe. Also confirmed to ride are Tom Diggle, Paolo Scarponi and Marcello Pavarin.
Milan - San Remo ~ February 28th ~ Squad features Luke Rowe for the sprints, and Simone Ponzi for the late break. Ben Hermans, Leonardo Bertagnolli, Damiano Caruso and Paolo Scarponi are also down to ride.
Liege - Bastogne - Liege ~ April 22nd ~ Squad again headed by Simone Ponzi, and features our strongest line up. Ben Hermans, Mikhail Ignatiev, Leonardo Bertagnolli, Rinaldo Nocentini, Tom Diggle, Dario Cataldo and Damiano Caruso. Be wary Pro Tour!
Giro di Lombardia ~ October 23nd ~ A rather important last race in Japan means that Rinaldo Nocentini and Ben Hermans will head this race, with able support from Paolo and Stefano Locatelli. The rest of the squad is yet to be confirmed.
Tirreno - Adriatico ~ February 11th - 17th ~ Another fixture for our A team. Ponzi, Caruso, Cataldo, Bertagnolli, Nocentini, Rowe, Ignatiev and Scarponi all here.
Rund um Koln ~ March 22nd ~ A hard race to judge, but we'll cover all likely bases with Simone Ponzi, Luke Rowe, Mikhail Ignatiev, and Ben Hermans. Also likely to be here are Diggle, Pavarin, Scarponi and Daniele Ratto.
After a long wait, Wiggle - San Pellegrino have settled on a jersey design for the upcoming season. The jersey, once again designed by the team management, will fit in well with the continental and pro tour teams, but, at the same time, stand out easily enough to be recognised.
The Tour Down Under has classically been a rather successful race for many of the riders who have passed through Wiggle - San Pellegrino, with Ivan Rovny being one such rider having won the race back in 2009. Luckily for the team, it's not just Rovny who can win, and who better to get the first win for Wiggle - San Pellegrino, than the rider who got the last win back in the first season for Wiggle, Luke Rowe.
A clinical finish by the strong sprinter saw us pick up vital points in our race for promotion.
Marcello Pavarin has also been performing well above our expectations, gradually moving up the General Classification by means of bonus seconds in intermediate sprints. We also hold high hopes for Ben Hermans to put in a solid performance over Willunga.
