Team KATUSHA is in the signing mood, working on its near and new future. The team has announced that it has reached an agreement with Portuguese rider José Gonçalves. José Isidro Maciel Gonçalves (27) became the Overall winner of the Presidential Tour of Turkey this year and is currently riding the Vuelta a España for Caja Rural – Seguros RGA. Last year Gonçalves was one of the revelations of La Vuelta.

"For me it was a nice surprise to see a big team like Team KATUSHA contacting me. You always hope for it, but as the season went by, I thought it would stay just a dream. It is however a reality now. I will not disappoint my new employer; they can count on me from the first day," said José Gonçalves.

"José Gonçalves is a rider we can use on all parcours. He was Portuguese TT champion, which means a lot. Good TT riders always have the big engine. José is quite fast in a sprint like he showed three weeks ago with his stage win in the Tour of Portugal. He can do lead outs and he climbs quite well. In a team you need these kind of riders who are also willing to sacrifice their chances for others. As far as I have heard he is also a guy creating good atmosphere in the team, which is more than important, too. José has no experience with the classics, but he has the body for that kind of races. We are curious and look forward to having him with us," said Team KATUSHA General Manager Viacheslav Ekimov.

José Gonçalves’ identical twin brother Domingo is now a teammate of José at Caja Rural, but will not make the move to Team KATUSHA.

"Trust me, we are not inseparable. It’s not the first time we ride in separate teams. Most important is that we both do a good job for our respective teams. I will do whatever team director José Azevedo asks me to do. He knows me and knows that he can use me on different terrains," concluded José Gonçalves.