The Kometa-Xstra lays the foundations for 2020 with a first meeting in the Madrid town of Pinto
The next season of the continental structure of the Alberto Contador Foundation began on Monday with a first meeting of its riders with part of the staff and its two main sponsors that took place at the headquarters of the Cycling Academy Plaza Éboli de Pinto. The first of the two days of talks, meetings, bureaucratic procedures and preparations that will have their continuity within a month in the unbeatable facilities of Oliva Nova Beach & Golf Resort, where the first pre-season concentration will take place.
This Monday’s meeting meant the reunion of the six cyclists who are still with respect to this campaign and form the basis of the third project in the continental category: the Italian Antonio Puppio, the Hungarian Márton Dina, the Portuguese Daniel Viegas and the Spaniards Juan Camacho, José Antonio García and Diego Pablo Sevilla. “We have charged the batteries and we are ready and eager to start the new season,” admits the Lusitanian Viegas. “It’s going to be a very important year for all of us and we’re confident that we’ll do well”, Dina proclaims. “The illusion is enormous, even more after this first season in the category,” said Puppio.
Among the seven new faces, expectation and desire. The Hungarian Erik Fetter, the Danish Mathias Larsen, the Spaniards Sergio García and Alejandro Ropero and the Italians Riccardo Verza, Giacomo Garavaglia and Alessandro Fancellu showed their illusion by the walk that begins from today. “I’m very happy, it’s a great opportunity and I’m really looking forward to it”, said Fetter and Larsen. “The motivation is enormous”, added Fancellu. “I can’t wait to make my debut in competition”, García smiled.
Giacomo Pedranzini, CEO of Kometa, and John Rasmussen, CEO of Xstra Digital Storage, did not want to miss this first meeting of the riders. In addition to welcoming the new faces and making a small presentation of their companies, they also wished the riders the greatest sporting success and showed their commitment to the future of the team in speeches full of emotion. Pierluigi Negri, from Valtellina Turismo, was also present at the meeting.
“We are fortunate to have the sponsors we have. One of the best ways to give them back their affection and support is to show a great image, give it all in the competition and make them feel proud. With respect to other sports structures we have a different philosophy, very clear, that goes beyond a sports project in the continental category. In the end it is a great project with several projects, not only sports, around the world of the bicycle,” explained Fran Contador, general manager of Kometa-Xstra.
“We are fortunate to have some great supporters who are also betting on a long-term project. This commitment gives us more responsibility. During our first two seasons of life we have always been a very active team. Sometimes we have managed to win, sometimes not, but we have always been present in the race. And we want to continue like this, giving our best. I have always defended the importance of winter training, a fundamental basis for form during the big events of spring and summer,” concluded Ivan Basso, sports manager of the continental team.
(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)
