Antonio Puppio and Stefano Oldani, Polartec-Kometa riders for next season
Two new names for the Polartec-Kometa squad in its second season in the professional field. Italy’s Antonio Puppio and Stefano Oldani will reinforce the Madrid squad in 2019, which has already announced the arrivals of Portugal’s Daniel Viegas and Granada’s José Antonio García, promoted from the U23 team.
Puppio (Samarate, April 28, 1999) is one of the great promises of his country, standing out as a magnificent rider and as a great specialist in the discipline of the time trial in which he won the national junior title, in Caluso (Piemonte), and silver in the world championships of his category in 2017, held in Bergen (Norway).
The Varesino rider, forged at UC Bustese Olonia Verbania, was one of the four stagiaires announced by the professional continental team Cofidis last summer. “Puppio has a very fast sprint and he is very good in a discipline like time trial. He has that double facet, because in small groups his top speed is very interesting. And when he’s in good condition he can defend himself in the climbs,” says Dario Andriotto, the team’s sports director.
“Next year it turns thirteen years since since I’ve pinned for the first time the number on my “back” as I was seven years old. Signing for Polartec-Kometa means to me a big opportunity to crown the dream of every young bike rider: become a professional rider. From next season I expect to learn all the necessary to do the “big jump” in pro’s world in the nearest future. Polartec-Kometa was interested in me since last year so after I completed high school I signed with this team in order to dedicate from next year a lot of time to cycling and crown my dream”, says Puppio.
Oldani (Busto Arsizio, January 10, 1998), for his part, will remain on the staff of Polartec-Kometa after joining the team in August as a stagiaire. The italian, also born in the Colpack formation, has had great performances since his debut with the team in the last Vuelta a Hungría.
“Stefano is a very complete rider. We loved how well he performed. He’s a good time trial cyclist, he’s fast, he’s not out of tune going up and we think he has an immovable margin for improvement”, continues an Andriotto who also knows the new cyclist of the continental team very well.
“I am very happy to be able to wear the colours of Polartec-Kometa for next season. The motivation for 2019 is great and I can’t wait to start doing my best and make the whole team proud of me. This year I already had the opportunity to do some competitions with the team and I have had the opportunity to see the great organization of the structure and the exceptional atmosphere of the team. I will have the good fortune to run for the team and two champions like Ivan Basso and Alberto Contador, two people whom I respect a lot and that I have always had as two references,” says Oldani.
(automatic translation, sorry for mistakes)
