VN news ticker: Segafredo renews with Trek, André Greipel scores second victory in five days, Viviani named Italian flagbearer for Olympics
Here's the news making headlines for Friday, May 21.
Segafredo renews with Trek team through 2023
Coffee company Segafredo will be in the pro peloton for another two years.
The team confirmed Friday that the Italian business would be on board through 2023. Segafredo joined as title sponsor of the men’s team in 2016 and has backed the Women’s WorldTour squad since its launch in 2018.
“It’s been a great partnership between two great brands and we’re really happy to see that it will continue,” said Trek Bikes president John Burke. “Between the success of the men’s team, and the launch, and incredible success of our amazing women’s team, we’ve accomplished a lot and I’m very excited to see what is still to come.”
The team broke the news with a short video on social media that saw team manager Luca Guercilena calling Segafredo for fresh coffee only to be delivered a two-year supply.
The Boss: “Damn we’re out of coffee!” 🤔
Segafredo: “Say no more” 😉☕ @segafredoitalia pic.twitter.com/ks018yaAjc
— Trek-Segafredo (@TrekSegafredo) May 21, 2021
“In these six years of collaboration, we have given momentum and strength to a sports project with big potential. We have invested and sowed the seeds to create a recognizable partnership, with our own style,” Guercilena said in a separate statement.
“We are proud that the results, both in terms of sport and image, are rewarding us. But, above all, we are very happy to be able to share again with Segafredo also for the next two years. The enthusiasm and ambition of Trek and Segafredo in supporting the team will allow us to raise the bar even higher.”
André Greipel scores his second victory in five days
André Greipel (Israel Start-Up Nation) — the ”Gorilla” — scored a win on stage 4 of the 2021 Vuelta a Andalucia, outsprinting Alvaro Hodeg (Deceuninck-QuickStep) and Mads Pedersen (Trek-Segafredo) in the bunch dash for the line.
Alexander Kristoff (UAE Team Emirates) and Alex Kirsch (Trek-Segafredo) were left off the podium when they could not match the pace at the stage finale.
This is Greipel’s second win this week, having taken his 157th professional win at the Trofeo Alcudia, the final race in the in the Challenge Mallorca series.
WHO IS ON FIRE 🔥? @AndreGreipel !!!!
The gentle GORILLA 🦍 just won it again . His second victory in 5 days, this time in @VCANDALUCIA
YallaGorilla ! #YallaISN #NosVemosEnAndalucia pic.twitter.com/4kstVmqRcQ
— Israel Start-Up Nation / Israel Cycling Academy (@TeamIsraelSUN) May 21, 2021
Elia Viviani named Italian flagbearer at Olympic Games
Elia Viviani (Cofidis) was bestowed the honor of being named the Italian flagbearer at the coming Olympic Games. The Italian fastman will share this honor with shooter Jessica Rossi.
The sprinter on the road is also a track racing supremo and heads to Tokyo as the defending gold medalist in the Omnium. Viviani is the current European champion in the same, and also the Elimination Race.
Remarking on his selection of the flag-bearing duties, Viviani said “it’s a dream come true.”
Viviani is currently racing in the Giro d’Italia, following a successful recovery from an atrial ablation procedure earlier in 2021.
A dream come true, an honor to represent mu country as flag bearer at the next Olympics Games. Thanks everyone for the messages! 🇮🇹 @Coninews @ItaliaTeam_it #Olympics photo: @bettiniphoto pic.twitter.com/MIw67e3naS
— Elia Viviani (@eliaviviani) May 20, 2021
Tickets for Zoncolan summit at Giro d’Italia sell out in 12 minutes
The Giro d’Italia heads to Monte Zoncolan on Saturday, and the tifosi wants to be there to see it.
Race organizers RCS were forced to limit access to the fearsome climb due to COVID regulations and offered 1,000 tickets to fans. The €10 entry fee was no obstacle to the race-hungry tifosi, with Il Gazzettino reporting that every ticket had been sold within 12 minutes.
The Zoncolan will be used as a mountaintop finish for Saturday’s stage in what will be the sixth time the Giro uses the climb. Although the toughest road to the 1,800m summit isn’t being used for Saturday’s stage 14, the 14km, 8.5 percent ascent still packs grades pitching up to 27 percent.
We’d say that’s worth seeing for 10 Euros.