Former World time trial champion joins compatriot Amber Pierce to take team roster up to eight
Pasta Zara-Cogeas (currently Diadora-Pasta Zara) has confirmed the acquisition of US time trial champion Amber Neben and former multiple Venezuelan champion Evelyn Garcia for 2013. The two riders take the team’s confirmed roster up to eight so far, for next season, with further names to be added.
"With the two new entries we are at eight athletes,” confirmed team manager Maurizio Fabretto, “as it must be to go alongside the confirmed Rossella Callovi, Giada Borgato, Inga Cilvinaite, Edita Janeliunaite, Agne Silinyte and Amber Pierce.
“Together with Ruben Contreras, the new team manager, we will define the rest of the squad later,” he explained. “We are focused in examining the situation in Central America, as we believe that there are some particularly interesting athletes. It is no coincidence that Pasta Zara will be the main sponsor of the upcoming Vuelta El Salvador.
“Not surprisingly, the first two races we will be engaged in 2013 will be the Vuelta Costa Rica [21-24th February - ed] and, of course, the Vuelta El Salvador [28th February - 5th March - ed].”
Neben, who has spent the last two seasons with HTC-Highroad and Specialized-lululemon - following a quiet 2010 after the collapse of Nürnberger Versicherung - finished the season as number five in the International Cycling Union (UCI) rankings. The 2008 World time trial champion will join compatriot Amber Pierce, who has been with the team since 2011.
As well as the departure of Diadora as a sponsor, the biggest loss to the team will be that of two-time World champion Giorgia Bronzini, who joins the new DTPC-Honda team in 2013. The two Italians to remain from the 2012 roster will be Italian champion Borgato, and former World junior champion Rossella Callovi, who missed most of the season through illness.
According to UCI regulations, with three Lituanians in the team - the largest single national presence - the team will be officially registered as Lithuanian.
"The three Lithuanian and the American are a safe, reliable and serious athletes,” Fabretto explained last week. “With regard to the Italians; Giada Borgato has done well this year, hitting a prestigious national title, and therefore deserves further confidence.
“Callovi is a different matter,” he added. “Last year she didn’t race because of physical problems, from which she is recovering and her preparation is going very well. Because I think the Trentina is the biggest talent in Italian women's cycling has seen in recent years, she will remain with us and gradually we will expect great things from her.
“Her seriousness, her professionalism and determination are virtues that stood out very positively. Rossella is a girl who deserves it.”