UAE Team Emirates has announced the signing of climber David de la Cruz for the 2020 and 2021 seasons. The Spaniard moved from Team Ineos, where he played a key role as a climbing domestique in the Grand Tours and helped Chris Froome win the 2018 Giro d'Italia and the 2017 Vuelta a España.

De la Cruz has two 2016 Vuelta a España stage wins, two Paris-Nice stages, and third overall in the Vuelta a Burgos. He joins Joe Dombrowski (EF Education First), Davide Formolo (Bora-Hansgrohe), and Brandon McNulty (Rally UHC), Mikkel Bjarg (Axeon Hagens Berman), and Alessandro Covi (Colpack). He joins the team along with young riders.

Team manager Joxen Mateixin is steadily increasing the UAE Team Emirates' Grand Tour potential by bringing in Max Riches from Dečuninck-Quick Step to bolster Fernado Gaviria's sprint train. De la Cruz is a rider with the right experience to fully exploit his talents and quickly become a reliable part of the team in important races." His climbing talent, coupled with his strength in time trials, has earned him stage wins and the leader's jersey in top-level races.

De la Cruz called the proposal "everything we need from a cycling perspective."

"The UAE Team Emirates' project to become a reference in cycling is ambitious and we have a solid plan to achieve this goal. I want to contribute to this project by performing at my highest level in the next two seasons. I want to give my best and I am confident that in UAE Team Emirates I am in the right place to do so."

His departure from Team Ineos follows the news that Spaniard Andrei Amador is out of contract with Movistar and moving to an English team.

Spaniard Jonathan Castroviejo will remain with Team Ineos for the next two seasons and renew his contract with the British WorldTour team.Castroviejo, 32, has helped win the last two overall Tour de France titles.

"I'm really happy to stay with the team. I've had two great years here and it's special to be part of two teams that have won the Tour de France," Castroviejo said.

"When I joined the team I wanted to take the next step. Now I'm really settled here. It's a great environment to keep improving as a cyclist and I'm looking forward to doing my part with some exciting young riders."

Castroviejo said.

The five-time Spanish time trial champion played a key role in the team's stage control and his coach, Xavi Arteche, said he exceeded expectations during his time in Ineos.

"We knew what kind of player Jonathan was before he signed on, but Castro has exceeded our expectations. He is one of the most professional riders I have worked with and has done an exemplary job in his two years with us," Arteche said.

"He developed a reputation as one of the most consistent time triallists in the world and quickly became an important member of our Tour de France team. It is great that Castro will stay for two more years."

"We are very proud of him.

The Mitchelton-Scott team has signed Alexandre Konichev, son of retired pro Dmitri Konichev, as a neo-pro. Konichev won the Etoile d'Or this season, his first as an U23 rider, and impressed coach Matt White at the European Championships.

"Alex is a big and strong rider. He will be in our group of classics and what we see in him is the potential to grow. He is well-positioned and will work well with the Classical and Sprint groups.

"He won this year's Nations Cup under-23 race, and has been consistent in his other results, which is no easy feat against the best under-23 athletes in the world.

"A particular standout was at the European Championships when he was 35-40 seconds ahead of a Norwegian rider with 45km to go. The gap lasted about 20km before I attacked with 15km to go and took the lead. The pack chased him as hard as they could and caught him with 1km to go. That's when I knew he was strong.

Konichev is the third neo-pro on the team, after Kayden Groves and Barnabas Peake, and was signed on the recommendation of Italian Edoardo Affini.

"For me, stepping up on a World Tour team is a dream come true. I still don't really know what's happening, but I'm very happy and can't wait to start the new season." [I've only been riding motorcycles for five years, so I think I need to discover more about myself as a rider. I love time trials and I love to attack."

Norwegian riders Emily Moberg and Elise Marie Olsen, also from Halden, will join the Drops Cycling Team next season. Moberg comes from Denmark's Team Virtue, while Olsen will step up to the senior level for the first time.

"As a rider and as a person, this team really suits me. The 28-year-old Moberg moved to Virtu in 2018 after seven seasons with Norwegian team Hitec, but the latter team will be closed at the end of this year.

"I like the fighting spirit within the Drops team and am excited to take on a new role with a new team next year with a strong group of riders, a good racing program that suits me," she said in a press release. [I love that there will be a good mix of experienced and young riders on the 2020 team.

"And of course I am very proud that two Norwegian riders from the same town will be on the same UCI team next year," she said.

Olsen, 18, recently finished 47th in the junior women's road race at the World Championships in Yorkshire and will step up to the senior level next season.

"I am really proud and happy to have the opportunity to participate in the Drops," Olsen said. 'It looks like a solid, serious team, established on a friendly, safe environment.'

"Having Emily as a mentor at the beginning, I can't think of a better way to transition from the junior level to the first year of elite girls. I have to say it's a little surreal to have my first year as a senior with my old neighbor and idol, Emily."

"I am confident that I will learn and experience a lot in the year ahead and will do my best to contribute to the team both on and off the bike," Olsen added.

"I promise to be highly motivated and train hard this winter so that I will be best prepared for the start of the 2020 season."