After three years at Movistar, Eros Capecchi will join Astana for the 2016 season. The 29-year-old Italian had mixed experiences at the Spanish team and now hopes to return to his former level while riding in support of Vincenzo Nibali and Fabio Aru.

“In the past three years, and for various reasons, I could not manage to express the best of myself,” he told Cyclism’Actu in an interview. “In 2013 and 2014 I had physical problems that have hampered my season. This year it was the opposite. By choice by the team I raced very little and sometimes with improvised program changes that had an impact on my preparation (Capecchi was scheduled to do both the Giro and the Tour, ed.). I never found an optimal physical condition.

“It made me very happy to have been contacted by a team like Astana and it makes me just as happy to work with Nibali. The choice of Astana was made because I will find a working group with whom I have already raced and I hope that I will rediscover the old Eros in this atmosphere.

“I worked for Quintana and Valverde as in the past for other champions and I did it for the sake of getting a team result. I do not think I am a luxury domestique. I am a complete rider willing to sacrifice myself for my teammates. But if I can ride freely, I can get a result. In each case, I give 100%.”

Capecchi has only signed a one-year contract with his new team but refuses that it will provide extra stress,

“I have chosen to sign for a season to have an extra stimulation and to give the best of myself.”

Whether Capecchi will ride in support of Aru in the Tour or be at Nibali’s side in the Vuelta, is still unknown. The schedule will be finalized on November 26 at a training camp in Italy.