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Alex Dowsett joins Katusha-Alpecin for 2018 season

Five-time British time trial champion targets supporting role in Grand Tours after switch from Movistar

Alex Dowsett, five times British national time trial champion, is joining Katusha Alpecin for the 2018 season.

The Essex rider, aged 28, leaves Movistar after five years, which he joined from Team Sky in 2013.

His debut season at the Spanish UCI WorldTour outfit saw him win a time-trial stage at the Giro d’Italia, and in 2015 he won the overall at the Bayern Rundfahrt.

The same year, he set a new UCI Hour record of 52.937 kilometres, although that distance would be beaten by Sir Bradley Wiggins the following month.

“It’s so exciting for me to join this team,” Dowsett said. “I had five amazing seasons with Movistar but it is time for a change and I look forward to joining Team Katusha-Alpecin.

“Every team has a different approach and I feel I can learn a lot.

“The nice thing for me is that I can stay on the phenomenal Canyon bikes. They were such a huge sponsor for me in the last years, and in my opinion, it’s the best bike,” he added.

Team manager José Azevedo commented: “Alex is one of the best time trial riders in the professional peloton.

“We see nice opportunities with him to bring horse power to the team in the team time trials.

“Moreover, because of his TT skills, he is able to win stage races, as he has proved already in the past.

“Alex is still young but he has a lot of experience. I have a good feeling about him,” he added.

Dowsett said that while he would focus on time trialling, he would also be looking to play a supporting role in Grand Tours to riders such as German sprinter Marcel Kittel, another new recruit for the 2018 season.

Dowsett, who has haemophilia, has set up a charity called Little Bleeders to raise awareness of the disease and support those who have it.

He added: “To get on the podium is always a special moment for me. It’s a message to our haemophilia community to always get the best out of our lives.

“It shows what anyone is able to achieve no matter what the circumstances, or in whichever team.” 

Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.

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4 comments

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dottigirl | 7 years ago
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Damn. Another rider I like but another team I don't feel able to support...

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1961BikiE | 7 years ago
1 like

TBH I've never felt that Movistar made the best use of Alex. Good luck on the new team AD!

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Al__S | 7 years ago
2 likes

Katusha to win 2018 TTT worlds?

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RobD | 7 years ago
2 likes

Good luck to him, it seems like Katusha are making a bit of a transformation at the moment, and with him and Tony Martin on the team that would be some pretty serious firepower for a lead out train or a TTT.

I hope they give him a few more opportunities to race for himself too.

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