Team Sky’s Team Principal Dave Brailsford has confirmed the full Team Sky squad for the 2016 season. In addition to the seven new arrivals recently announced, 10 riders have also seen their contracts renewed while six riders will be leaving the team.
Brailsford is confident the roster will see Team Sky go from strength to strength during their seventh season in the peloton, and believes it contains an ideal mix of youth and experience.
He said: “January 2015 marked the start of the next chapter for Team Sky with our ambition to be indisputably the best team in the world by 2020. We have taken the first steps on that path and I am proud of what we have achieved this season. However we can never be complacent and must always look forward.
“Today I am announcing the full Team Sky line up for 2016. It’s a strong team – led by Chris Froome – that will ensure that we can be even more competitive in all the major races – from Grand Tours to Classics.
“We have recruited some of the best young talent from around the world in Michal Kwiatkowski and Mikel Landa, for example. At the same time we have been able to keep the nucleus of this year’s successful team together by re-signing riders of the calibre of Vasil Kiryienka – the new time trial world champion.
“Cycling is a global sport and Team Sky will always look to recruit the best riders from around the world. But we remain a British team with a strong British core. I’m pleased that the five British riders who were such a big part of this year’s successful Tour de France team will all be riding for us again in 2016 – along with new signing Alex Peters.
“Britain has become a cycling nation over the last decade. We want more and more people to love the bike and Team Sky will continue to play its part in this cycling revolution.
“Of course some riders will be leaving us. They have all made a massive contribution to the team on and off the bike. We will miss them and look forward to the opportunity of thanking them properly later this year for everything they have done for Team Sky.”
New signings:
Michal Golas, Benat Intxausti, Michal Kwiatkowski, Mikel Landa, Gianni Moscon, Alex Peters and Danny van Poppel.
Contract renewals:
Ian Boswell, Philip Deignan, Sebastian Henao, Peter Kennaugh, Vasil Kiryienka, Christian Knees, Mikel Nieve, Luke Rowe, Ian Stannard and Xabier Zandio.
Under existing contract:
Andrew Fenn, Chris Froome, Sergio Henao, Leopold Konig, David Lopez, Lars Petter Nordhaug, Wout Poels, Salvatore Puccio, Nicolas Roche, Ben Swift, Geraint Thomas and Elia Viviani.
Departing riders:
Nathan Earle, Bernhard Eisel, Danny Pate, Richie Porte, Kanstantsin Siutsou and Chris Sutton.
