Colombia have announced that they will make big changes to their roster in 2015. Today they have confirmed their first two signings: Cayetano Sarmiento and Alex Cano.

Team Colombia will start the next season with a significantly renewed roster as confirmed by General Manager Claudio Corti.

“We will welcome several new elements, including exciting young prospects and more experienced riders that we hope will be able to leave their mark right away.” 

The first two signings for the 2015 Team Colombia team definitely belong to the latter category: Josè Cayetano Sarmiento Tunarrosa (Anarruco, March 28th, 1987) and Alex Alberto Cano Ardila (Yarumal, March 13th, 1983).

Professional since 2010 and originally from the Boyaca region, Cayetano Sarmiento has taken part in the World Tour for the last three seasons as a Cannondale Team rider. A pure climber (168 cm, 56 kg), Sarmiento won the overall at 2009 Baby Giro as an Under 23, showing to have what it takes to show up strongly in stage races. His biggest achievement as a pro has been the King of the Mountains classification at the 2012 Criterium du Dauphine, and he has participated in three Giri d’Italia and two Vueltas a España in his career. After closing his 2014 season early due to a broken collarbone at the Eneco Tour, Sarmiento will look to retrieve his winner instinct while enjoying more opportunities to go for personal results.

Alex Cano revealed himself as an amateur in Italy as well, winning the hard and prestigious Giro della Valle d’Aosta in 2007, but in 2015 he will get his first opportunity as an elite in Europe. Originally from the Antioquia region, Cano achieved 25wins in six pro seasons in Colombia, proving himself among the strongest and most consistent Colombian stage race riders.  Cano recently got a strong overall 2nd place (with a stage win) at Clasico RCN, riding for the Aguardiente Antioqueño team.

In the next few days, Team Colombia will announce the names of the confirmed riders and the new signings who will make up the team’s 2015 roster.