ISD-Neri team manager Angelo Citracca has denied reports that Venezuelan Jose Rujano was on his way to riding the Giro d’Italia with the Footon-Fuji-Servetto ProTour team next month. Citracca’s Pro Continental team was left of the wild card invite list for the race next month, and reports out of South America had Rujano’s mentor, Hernán Alemán, claiming to El Nacional that: “We are close to an agreement [with Footon-Servetto-Fuji].”
“It is not true that Rujano will change teams to participate in the Giro d’Italia, a race where our team was not invited,” explained Citracca. “Jose will remain linked to us until at least May 3rd.” That date marks the last day a change in the teams can be made by race organizers RCS Sport.
Citracca said Rujano is scheduled to race the upcoming Giro del Trentino and the GP Larciano with the ISD-Neri team, but did not completely rule out the fact that the climber could indeed make a switch.
“We could then [once it is confirmed ISD-Neri will not participate] consider the possibility of letting the rider go. But today there are no negotiations under way with other teams. Rumors of a possible change of team should be considered false.”
With the “via col doping” investigation hanging over the Lampre-Farnese Vini team, Citracca could be holding out hope for a possible change by RCS Sport before the deadline.
Rujano won the Tour de Langkawi last month, and the Giro d’Italia route would suit the climber’s abilities. Five years ago he won a stage, the mountains classification and finished on the podium in the event, but since that time has been unable to secure any big results.