CCC Team say signing Michał Kwiatkowski from Team Sky 'is our priority'
The first every Polish WorldTour team are keen to sign a big home favourite


The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Thank you for signing up to The Pick. You will receive a verification email shortly.
There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.
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.”
>>> Rohan Dennis signs two-year deal with Bahrain-Merida
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 43rd overall, being hampered by crashes.
>>> Team Sunweb main sponsor taken over by investment firm
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.
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
Get The Leadout Newsletter
The latest race content, interviews, features, reviews and expert buying guides, direct to your inbox!
Alex Ballinger is editor of BikeBiz magazine, the leading publication for the UK cycle industry, and is the former digital news editor for CyclingWeekly.com. After gaining experience in local newsrooms, national newspapers and in digital journalism, Alex found his calling in cycling, first as a reporter, then as news editor responsible for Cycling Weekly's online news output, and now as the editor of BikeBiz. Since pro cycling first captured his heart during the 2010 Tour de France (specifically the Contador-Schleck battle) Alex covered three Tours de France, multiple editions of the Tour of Britain, and the World Championships, while both writing and video presenting for Cycling Weekly. He also specialises in fitness writing, often throwing himself into the deep end to help readers improve their own power numbers. Away from the desk, Alex can be found racing time trials, riding BMX and mountain bikes, or exploring off-road on his gravel bike. He’s also an avid gamer, and can usually be found buried in an eclectic selection of books.
-
-
Where it all started — Sepp Kuss’ Vuelta win means everything to his hometown of Durango, Colorado
The town of Durango is ecstatic. Its hometown hero, Sepp Kuss, finally got his shot and made it count, winning the Vuelta a España ahead of his team leaders, Jonas Vingegaard and Primož Roglič.
By Henry Lord Published
-
Tweets of the week: GC Kuss rumbles on as Shimano stars in The Simpsons
The best cycling social media content from the past seven days
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'I thought I was more in the door than I was' - Luke Rowe bares all on Vuelta a España snub
Welshman will not race a Grand Tour this year after he missed out on selection by Ineos Grenadiers
By Tom Davidson Published
-
‘I hope I get a cow’ - Josh Tarling aiming for the top prize at World Championships
Welshman competing in elite men’s individual time trial on Friday afternoon
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
'All being well I’ll still be racing next year' but 'it's coming to an end' - Geraint Thomas on Ineos Grenadiers future
'It's nice to be arriving at a Worlds in decent nick' says the Welshman ahead of individual time trial in Stirling
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Carlos Rodriguez credits BMX skills with Tour de France stage win
Ineos Grenadiers rider dedicates his victory to his parents
By Vern Pitt Published
-
'We just have to keep trying': Ineos Grenadiers ready to attack at the Tour de France
'You never know' British team's DS Steve Cummings says anything is still possible at French Grand Tour
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Disappointed on stage one, pleased with stage two: Tom Pidcock gaining confidence at Tour de France
Ineos Grenadiers rider satisfied with performance on the road to San Sebastián after difficult opening stage
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Tom Pidcock: Beating the likes of Pogačar and Vingegaard to a Tour de France stage would be ‘a step up’
Ineos Grenadiers rider heads into second Tour aiming for general classification and stage wins
By Tom Thewlis Published
-
Egan Bernal heads back to Tour de France 'ambitious' but 'realistic'
The 2019 winner is targeting general classification at his first Tour since life-threatening accident
By Adam Becket Published