Bora-Hansgrohe added two big names to its 2018 roster as the “official” trading season opened Tuesday.
Daniel Oss and Peter Kennaugh will link up with two-time world champion Peter Sagan in two-year deals with Bora-Hansgrohe. Oss, 30, knows Sagan well. He rode on Liquigas when Sagan turned pro in 2010. Oss joined BMC Racing in 2013.
“Oss was always on our list,” said team manager Ralph Denk. “He is a very reliable rider, performing over the whole season. Besides that, he is used to working for big leaders, and in our team, he will play a key role on the side of Sagan in the spring classics.”
Kennaugh, 28, will see expanded responsibilities after seven seasons at Team Sky. The two-time former British champ rode on two winning Tour de France teams. With this move, he will be able to take more chances for his own results.
“Peter will be one of our leaders for one-week tours next year,” Denk said. “We think he has still potential to improve as a rider. Being a strong climber, who is also fast in the flat, he should be able to win some stage races, and we want to support his development into this direction.”
Oss said he is happy to link up again with former teammates Sagan and Marcus Burghardt. “The whole team around Ralph Denk is developing very fast. That’s a fascinating journey, and I am happy to be part of that journey now,” the Italian added.
Kennaugh said the move from Sky to Bora is a “great opportunity for me to begin a new chapter in my career with a team of huge potential.”
August 1 is the official start of trading season among the top teams. Expect some major deals to be announced in the coming days. Teams can announce extensions of existing riders at any time, but are limited to keep announcements on the shelf until August 1 under existing rules.
That doesn’t mean negotiations don’t begin until August. Many deals are hammered out weeks and months in advance. Most of the wheeling and dealing happening during the Tour de France.
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