Former Vuelta a España chief and stage winner David de la Cruz has inked a last-minute, year-long cope with the Q36.5 PoTeam that can see the veteran Spaniard within the skilled peloton in 2024.
In what’s prone to be one of many remaining signings of the 2023-2024 switch market, 34-year-old De la Cruz is hoping to bounce again after an advanced 2023, marked by sickness and crashes.
Considered one of Spain’s most skilled execs and finest identified for his stage racing leads to a profession stretching again to 2012, De la Cruz has beforehand fashioned a part of Astana, UAE Staff Emirates, Staff Sky and QuickStep. He has completed 3 times within the Vuelta a España high ten total, and received a stage in his house Grand Tour in 2016.
Regardless of a busy switch market this low season, various well-known and skilled riders stay with groups for 2024. That listing comes with a everlasting caveat that some workforce rosters have nonetheless to be accomplished and a few riders signings must nonetheless to be introduced. Nonetheless the brand new season is lower than a month away.
At present amongst their quantity are former Giro d’Italia stage winners Domenico Pozzovivo (Israel-Premier Tech), Joe Dombrowski (Astana Qazaqstan) and 2013 Vuelta a España King of the Mountains Nicolas Edet (Arkea-Samsic), longstanding 2022 Vuelta a España chief Christian Odd Eiking (EF Training-EasyPost), Colombian sprinter Alvaro Hodeg (UAE Staff Emirates) and Tsgabu Girmay (Jayco-AIUIa), who has received the Ethiopian Nationwide Championships in street and time trial classes a mixed complete of 10 occasions.
Relieved to not be in search of a workforce for 2024, De la Cruz instructed Spanish sports activities every day MARCA that he felt his prolonged watch for a contract had been “considerably undeserved” however that because the Spanish proverb put it, “if it’s something good, then you definitely’ve acquired to attend for it.”
“I’m happy to have reached an settlement with them, all of the dangerous moments have handed now. I’ve signed for one season, which is right for each events. We now have to see if the 2 sides are a superb match, which I feel we’re, after which we’ll see.”
De la Cruz mentioned he had talked with varied groups a few berth for 2024, “however out of respect for them, I’ll hold the names to myself. Nonetheless, the one which made me really feel most motivated was this undertaking. I didn’t must suppose too exhausting about it.”
“It’s a younger, formidable workforce whose finest years are but to return, however with skilled riders in its roster.”
After a troublesome 2023, De la Cruz instructed MARCA that “I need to take a look at it in one of the best ways potential. It’s going to be difficult as a result of I’ll be utilizing fully completely different tools. I’ve by no means had such a giant change in my profession. However I hope to adapt in one of the best ways potential, and with the calendar I get, carry out at the most effective degree potential.”