Alex Dowsett signs two-year contract extension with Katusha-Alpecin

Dowsett commits to Swiss team until end of 2020
Henry Robertshaw

Alex Dowsett will be spending at least another two years at Katusha-Alpecin after signing an extension to his existing deal with the Swiss team.

Dowsett joined Katusha-Alpecin at the start of the 2018 season after spending five years at Movistar, and has since established himself in the team’s lead-out train – even if he missed out on selection for the Tour de France – while also picking up consistent results for himself in time trials

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“Alex has signed with us for another two years,” said José Azevedo, the team’s general manager. “He just came to us this year and is such a good time triallist but he can also be important for us in the lead-out for our sprinters.

“We also like what we see in his interactions within the group. He’s new but has fit in really well with the team. We’ve signed him with the idea that he can win races and this year he was close in some time trials.

“We expect victories from him in the future, especially in the time trials and we will continue to work with him on this point. We believe in him and that he can win.”

Dowsett was selected for a Grand Tour at the first time of asking with Katusha-Alpecin, completing the Giro d’Italia in May and picking up two top 10 finishes in the race’s individual time trials.

Dowsett’s only comment on the contract extension has been a post on Twitter telling his followers to look forward to him featuring in more adverts for the Alpecin shampoo.

Katusha-Alpecin have also announced that Reto Hollenstein and Marco Haller have also signed for another two years, with Haller still on the comeback trail after being hit by a car while training in April.

“Marco suffered a bad accident earlier this year, but has been part of our group for seven years on this team,” Azevedo continued. He turned professional with this team. He’s always been an important rider both in and out of the race and we always believe in Marco.

“It’s at these bad moments in his life and career that he needs to know that the team appreciates everything he’s done over the past years. We don’t sign him to pay him back for what he’s done in previous years but because we want Marco in the team.”