Warren Barguil and Tom Dumoulin sign Giant-Alpecin contract extensions
Two of 2015's standout riders, Warren Barguil and Tom Dumoulin, extend their contracts at Giant-Alpecin until 2018
Giant-Alpecin's key general classification riders Warren Barguil and Tom Dumoulin have both signed contract extensions, keeping them with the German team until 2018.
The pair surprised a few people this year by putting in strong performances at the Tour de France and Vuelta a España respectively in teams that were not built to support a GC rider.
Barguil, 23, flirted with the top-10 throughout the Tour de France, eventually finishing 14th, while Dumoulin, 24, was in the Vuelta a España's red jersey until the penultimate stage, where he lost out to Fabio Aru.
“This year we have seen Tom make a great step forward in his development both as a rider and as a person, which has led to some impressive results already," said Giant-Alpecin CEO Iwan Spekenbrink. "The way he dealt with his crash at the Tour de France and how he acts as a leader within the team show that he is capable of playing a leadership role."
>>> 10 of the best WorldTour riders under the age of 25
Dumoulin enjoyed a breakthrough season in 2014, where he placed highly in several key time trials - including third at the World Championships ITT. He crashed out of the Tour de France on stage three but returned to win two stages of the Vuelta in his unlikely quest for the overall victory.
"I am pleased with how we have worked together so far," said Dumoulin, who lost 3-52 to Aru on stage 20 of the Vuelta to concede the lead. "We have made great progress every year, and this is one of the reasons to stay with the team. Another important factor is that my growth is paralleling the growth of the team, and it is great to be part of a challenging environment."
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Barguil, meanwhile, went under the radar to finish 14th at the Tour de France in a team that was designed to support John Degenkolb in the sprints. The young Frenchman impressed in the mountains and showed good racing nous to keep out of trouble in the challenging first week.
>>> How Giant-Alpecin’s reported signing of Ten Dam shows team’s change of direction
With the team set up around its sprinters, it was rumoured that Barguil would have to leave the team in order to gain support in the Grand Tours, with Etixx-Quick Step one team he was linked to.
But the team's change in philosophy led to the departure of sprinter Marcel Kittel and the team now look set to focus on supporting their GC riders.
"With Warren, we decided back in 2013 to create a long-term performance plan to help him become a strong GC rider in the future. As a result, we sent him to this year’s Tour de France to learn and to discover his capabilities in a race like the Tour, which will be an important step in his development as a GC rider."
Thank you for reading 20 articles this month* Join now for unlimited access
Enjoy your first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
*Read 5 free articles per month without a subscription
Join now for unlimited access
Try first month for just £1 / $1 / €1
Stuart Clarke is a News Associates trained journalist who has worked for the likes of the British Olympic Associate, British Rowing and the England and Wales Cricket Board, and of course Cycling Weekly. His work at Cycling Weekly has focused upon professional racing, following the World Tour races and its characters.
-
Can ‘coffee with benefits’ make you a better cyclist?
Pairing your caffeine with additional ingredients comes with reported mental and physical performance gains - but does it work?
By Hannah Reynolds Published
-
'I perked up when Valtteri Bottas came along, I just wanted to beat him': Meet the amateur riders who raced at the Gravel World Championships
The Gravel Worlds in Leuven, Belgium, was a unique event in cycling, with riders who compete just for fun racing against seasoned pros
By Adam Becket Published
-
‘It was awful, I hated cycling so much’ - Tom Dumoulin reveals his struggles on and off the bike
Dutch Giro d’Italia winner says that for the first time in life he can ‘fill in everything’ himself after retirement from professional cycling
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Dumoulin confident altitude training in Tenerife will help Giro d'Italia ambitions: 'I will do the necessary work'
The Dutchman has performed inconsistently in 2022, but still has his sights set on GC victory next month
By Ryan Dabbs Published
-
Leo Hayter leaves DSM Development Team early to join Hagens Berman Axeon
British U23 time trial champion moves to American development squad after split opinion over future
By Adam Becket Published
-
Cees Bol: Negative comments from unamed DSM riders 'difficult to read'
Dutch sprinter says that it is difficult to read criticisms of the team
By Adam Becket Published
-
Romain Bardet says leaving DSM riders' comments 'not easy to understand' after 'Soviet regime' remarks
Multiple riders have broken their contracts over the years with an unnamed rider calling it a "Soviet regime"
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
-
Tom Dumoulin doesn't rule out Grand Tour return in 2022
Dutchman will decide on his season at the Jumbo-Visma training camp in mid-December
By Ryan Dabbs Published
-
Tom Dumoulin runs rapid 10k in hometown of Maastricht
The former Giro d'Italia winner finished second in the event where he averaged 18.3km/h
By Tim Bonville-Ginn Published
-
Tom Dumoulin trains with Dutch amateurs as he starts cycling again
The Dutchman is back riding two months after being hit by a car and fracturing his wrist
By Ryan Dabbs Published