Dubai: UAE Team Emirates have signed Norwegian cyclist Alexander Kristoff for the 2018 season, it was announced on Tuesday. The 30-year-old European Champion joins from Katusha on a two-year deal and becomes the team’s third summer signing after Ireland’s Dan Martin from Quick-Step Floors and Australia’s Rory Sutherland from Movistar.
Kristoff said: “I’m very proud and really excited to join UAE Team Emirates. For me this is a big move since it’s only the second time in my career that I’ve changed teams. I’m looking forward for meeting my new teammates and staff members, and getting to know all the people who work on this project. I’m very confident about the future and I’m sure that with UAE Team Emirates we will archive great results.”
UAE Team Emirates also announced an agreement to sign another Norwegian, 25-year-old Sven Erik Bystrom, from Katusha. The 2014 Under-23 World Champion also joins on a two-year deal from 2018.
Carlo Saronni, team Manager for UAE Team Emirates said: “Kristoff is a world class rider with an impressive dossier, and he is determined to achieve and succeed even more. His European Championship title is just further proof of his winning drive. These are the skills that piqued our interest in Alexander as someone who can make the squad even better. We were happy to see how Kristoff appreciated the significance of the project behind our team and we are sure that this road we are taking together will bring even more prestige to Alexander’s image and career. We also welcome Bystrøm, a young and talented rider.”
Meanwhile, UAE Team Emirates’ Simone Consonni finished ninth in the one-day 247-km Bretage Classic in Brittany, France on Sunday.
The race was won by Team Sky’s Elia Viviani, with Katusha-Alpecin’s Alexander Kristoff and Bahrain-Merida’s Sonny Colbrelli finishing second and third respectively.
Another of UAE Team Emirates’ riders Oliviero Troia joined the breakaway of seven riders early on. They built up a gap of seven minutes from the peloton but were eventually caught 25km from the end.
Consonni said: “Even though it ended in a sprint, the race was challenging, especially because the route required our full attention at all times. With Troia in the breakaway that led the race for a long time, we were able as a team to remain safe in the group as well as conserve as much as our energy in preparation for a good sprint. It was great.
