CCC Team say signing Michał Kwiatkowski from Team Sky 'is our priority'

The newly formed CCC Team hope to sign Team Sky’s Michał Kwiatkowski as a home favourite leader.

Dominant force Team Sky is losing its main sponsor at the end of 2019, with many of its star roster likely to start pursuing other contract options.

CCC, the first Polish team to ever ride in the WorldTour, is currently without a general classification favourite, but team bosses say signing Kwiatkowski top of the priority list.

Team sports director for CCC Piotr Wadecki told Polish sports channel TVP Sport: “It does not matter if Sky falls apart or not.

“The acquisition of Michał has been our priority from the very beginning, but we know he has a two-year contract.

“We would like the CCC Team to be Polish not only by name and thanks to the sponsor, but also by leaders coming from our country.”

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He added: “Riders like Kwiato or Rafał Majka are the best known Polish riders, and our goal is that the best Polish racers ride in the orange jerseys of the team.

“It certainly will not be an easy task.”

All-rounder Kwiatkowski has been an all-season stalwart of Team Sky, capable of Monument wins in spring and superhuman domestique efforts in Grand Tours.

However, his GC leadership at the 2018 Vuelta a España was far from fairytale as he finished 43^rd overall, being hampered by crashes.

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New kids on the block CCC are formed from the DNA of the BMC Racing team, but plenty has changed for the outfit.

Along with the new lead sponsor, Polish handbag and shoe brand CCC, the team also lost their GC hopefuls, Australians Riche Porte and Rohan Dennis, who had show potential for longer races.

Olympic road race champion Greg Van Avermaet, who stays on from BMC, takes on the sole leadership duties.

A proven Classics star who can shine on individual stages of the Tour de France, Van Avermaet is not the man to lead CCC to Grand Tour success.

Instead the team must find its feet in 2019 while looking to sign a new star rider for the 2020 season.