Gasparotto, Napolitano and Dron extend contracts

Enrico Gasparotto, Danilo Napolitano and Boris Dron will also ride for Wanty-Groupe Gobert in 2016. This brings the amount of riders for the Belgian procontinental team to 22, including nine new signings.

With Enrico Gasparotto, Wanty-Groupe Gobert brought a lot of experience to the team in 2015. The Italian finished 8th, 15th and 16th in the Amstel Gold Race, Flèche Wallonne and Liège-Bastogne-Liège respectively. 

“It was a new experience in this team and I am happy to stay with Wanty-Groupe Gobert,” Gasparotto declared. “In 2016 I want to try to achieve my results and do my races in the Ardennes where the team is based. My role in the team is to be a leader on and off the bike and to pass on my experience to the young riders and that’s something I really like to do. I am really motivated to give my best for another year.”

Boris Dron had a promising start to the season but got stopped by ongoing injury.

“Therefore I am happy to get a second chance to try and show my best in 2016. I hope to get back to the level I had at the start of the season. My goals is to do the cobbled classics but also the stage races which include a time trial. I have noticed that I have potential in this discipline,” Boris Dron said.

Danilo Napolitano has been a part of Jean-François Bourlart’s team since 2013. This year the Italian won a stage in the Boucles de la Mayenne and finished second in the final classification of the World Ports Classic. Unfortunately Napolitano also had more than his share of injuries. 

“My goal is to have more luck next year,” ‘Napo’ smiled. “I had two surgeries on my collarbone and crashed in the Tour de Wallonie again. I want to win again if I get the chance to be the team leader in certain races, preferably in my beloved Belgium. For next year I want to contribute to the team’s success again and help and teach the younger guys.”

With the contract extensions of Gasparotto, Napolitano and Dron the Wanty-Groupe Gobert now consists of 22 riders from six different countries. The average age dropped from 30 to 28 years. 

“One of the objectives was to rejuvenate the team. We succeeded in doing so. The team also becomes more international with six nationalities in 2016. We have strenghtened the team and are now able to get good results in all sorts of races. With our strong partners I look forward to 2016 with confidence,” general manager Jean-François Bourlart declared.

Photo (Boris Dron): Nigel Goodenough