Date: Thursday, 19 October 2017
Daniel Teklehaimanot is still looking for a WorldTour spot for next year. Photo: Tim De Waele | TDWsport.com Riders across the peloton are securing their contracts for the 2018 season, while others are still on the hunt for a spot in the WorldTour in what’s been a busy transfer season.
African pioneer Daniel Teklehaimanot is among those still looking to secure a WorldTour contract for next year. The 28-year-old Eritrean is racing this week at the Gree-Tour of Guangxi hoping to impress before the season closes.
“I really want to find a team to help me to continue on my career path,” Teklehaimanot said. “It’s a shame to leave Dimension Data, but hopefully I can find a team, and also help me inspire the next generation of African cyclists.”
Teklehaimanot is coming off four seasons with Dimension Data and two seasons before that with Orica-Scott. A product of the UCI’s World Cycling Center, he was seventh overall at the Tour of Austria this year and wore the king of the mountains jersey for two stages to open this year’s Giro d’Italia.
Dimension Data is bringing on Louis Meintjes (UAE-Emirates), who rode with the team from 2013-15, Tom-Jelte Slagter (Cannondale-Drapac), and Julien Vermote (Quick-Step Floors) for 2018. Other turnover sees Tyler Farrar retiring, Omar Fraile going to Astana, Nathan Haas moving to Katusha, and Kristian Sbaragli signing with the Israel Cycling Academy.
In other transfer news, the Slipstream organization has confirmed a flurry of names that will stay with the organization as Education First comes on as title sponsor in 2018.
The team recently confirmed Mike Woods, Simon Clarke, and Alex Howes will continue next season. The latest to re-up is American Nate Brown with a two-year contract.
“This has been my best season yet,” said Brown. “I have a lot I am proud of, but I think my proudest moment was wearing the polka dot jersey in the Tour de France. It was always a dream to race the Tour, and wearing the polka dot jersey was beyond anything I could have imagined.”
Brown will remain a key part of the team’s core as Slipstream, which was on the verge of closing, undergoes some big changes going into 2018.
New arrivals include Sacha Modolo and Dan McLay in the sprints, and Mitch Docker to bolster the classics lineup.
Riders to leave include Alberto Bettiol and Patrick Bevin (BMC Racing), Dylan Van Baarle (Sky), Davide Villella (Astana), Davide Formolo (Bora-Hansgrohe), Kristjan Koren (Bahrain-Merida), Tom-Jelte Slagter (Dimension Data), Wouter Wippert (Roompot-Loterij), and Ryan Mullen and Toms Skujins (Trek-Segafredo). Andrew Talansky announced his retirement from professional racing to take on triathlon.
