Transfer Mechanics: A Strava KOM and looking for the next Jonas Vingegaard - The story behind Ineos Grenadiers signing Danish sensation Peter Øxenberg
We speak exclusively to the rider's agent after the 18-year-old signed a three-year deal with the British squad
On Saturday morning Ineos Grenadiers announced the signing of 18-year-old Peter Øxenberg from Team ColoQuick on a three-year deal.
With the Tour de France about to start the news hardly caused a ripple within the European cycling media but the British squad pulled off a significant coup in beating almost every rival WorldTour team to the junior rider’s signature, and it all started with a Strava KOM back in the spring.
Øxenberg was on a training camp with his teammates in late March when he set a blistering time to the summit of the Coll de Rates - a well-known ascent in Spain on which WorldTour professionals regularly test their early season form.
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Øxenberg was so fast to the summit that he beat Juan Ayuso’s time by four seconds, and two-time Tour de France winner Jonas Vingegaard by 22 seconds. Not too shabby for a three-mile climbing effort.