Polti Kometa’s first new signings are two promotions from the U23 team: Pablo García and Gabriele Raccagni
Team Polti Kometa announces the first two new signings for 2025. Or rather, for 2025 and 2026. Two members of the Under 23 squad, one Spanish and one Italian, have signed a two-year contract with the ProTeam: Pablo García and Gabriele Raccagni.
The 2001-born García, from Majadahonda near Madrid, will fulfill his dream of turning professional after five seasons as an amateur, the last of which (still ongoing) with Polti Kometa U23, where he has claimed four victories: the opening stage of the Vuelta a Extremadura, the two Spanish Cup races in Padrón and Vigo, and the final stage of the Circuito Montañés in Cantabria. “Finally! I’m overjoyed,” confesses García, nicknamed Garchu “and it couldn’t be otherwise. I’m really grateful to this team that gave me a chance at the end of last year when I was considering hanging up my bike, and I’m proud of having made the right choice by joining the Fundación project. They treated me with the utmost respect and honesty, keeping every promise. I’m ready to integrate into the Professional roster and immediately show my abilities for both team and individual goals.”
García will finish 2024 with the U23 team, while Raccagni is already part of the ProTeam, having just started his period as a stagiaire. In his three years with the U23 team, all spent within the Fundación Contador, he stood out for his generosity combined with sprint and ITT abilities. He has participated in several winning TTTs and came close to individual victories, with 2nd places in last year’s Volta a Valencia (final stage) and this year’s Trofeo Guerrita. “My childhood dream of becoming a professional is coming true,” says the 2003-born cyclist from Collebeato near Brescia. “When they offered me the contract, I almost couldn’t believe it. I want to thank the entire team, especially coaches Giuseppe De Maria and Samuel Marangoni, and the U23 sports director Rafa Díaz Justo, who believed in me and taught me something new in every race. In the upcoming two seasons, I want to repay the trust of Ivan Basso and the Contador brothers.”
Díaz Justo describes these two riders in detail: “Pablo is an athlete with great determination, combining his climbing skills with a powerful physique, which gives him an extra edge in race finales and time trials. In cycling terms, he reminds me of the late Chava Jiménez. Given the current trends, some might think we’re crazy to promote someone his age; but his all-around abilities and certain feats of strength, like his solo 42-kilometer attack in Extremadura, suggest he has the potential to adapt quickly and achieve great results. Gabriele is younger and thus has more room for improvement, but he’s mature enough to earn this promotion. He’s the kind of rider who might struggle in some devo teams due to his modest personal record, but he’s a born domestique with enviable technique and approach. Many of his teammates’ successes are also his, as you can count on him to lead the pack, break away, or lead-out the sprinters.”
Sport manager Ivan Basso shares his thoughts: “García is a well-rounded rider who has proven in his national Elite Championships that he can hold his own among professionals. I’d describe Raccagni as a skilled cyclist who’s not afraid to face the wind and has great tactical instincts. Promoting two young riders within our structure underscores the importance of our youth development system and a project that we continue to evolve.”
