Straight from the World Tour - Portuguese Continental team signs it's second Cofidis rider after losing leader to UAE Team Emirates
Cycling
Portuguese team Sabgal / Anicolor has signed two World Tour riders last year in Antwan Tolhoek - who was then suspended for doping, and Julius Johansen who was now signed by UAE Team Emirates. But the Continental-level outfit continues to bring in new signings and has confirmed Rubén Fernandez, the second rider they've signed from Cofidis in a matter of weeks.
The Portuguese team, whom sources informed CyclingUpToDate has a budget of just over €1.5 million per season, are putting the money to good use. They have built a core of Portuguese riders and those who race mostly on the Portuguese calendar, but have built a 'second' block of riders who focus on international races. The team is obtaining more and more wildcards for higher-level races and is possibly attempting to move to ProTeam level in recent years.
In the light of that, they have signed riders from two ProTeams in Israel Premier-Tech's Mason Hollyman and Euskaltel - Euskadi's Xavier Cañellas, but have also signed two World Tour riders, both from the Cofidis team. The first was Harrison Wood, who not too long ago openly criticized the UCI points system, citing difficulties in finding a pro contract as his role as domestique in the French team made it very hard for him to gather points and show relevance to other teams.
The second was announced this Sunday, it's Spanish climber Rubén Fernandez. “I am very happy to be able to represent Sabgal / Anicolor next season. I am sure it will be a very beautiful season and full of excellent results, both in personal terms and in terms of the Team," he said in a post shared by the team.
The 33-year old climber will be a quality addition for a Continental-level team, and has had his career highlights on the 2013 overall victory at the Tour de l'Avenir (ahead of Adam Yates and Patrick Konrad) and the day he spent in the red jersey at the Vuelta a España after dropping all the GC riders such as Chris Froome, Nairo Quintana and Alejandro Valverde at the Mirador de Ézaro.
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Rúben SilvaEditor-in-Chief
A founding contributor to CyclingUpToDate since its launch in January 2022, Ruben Silva has played a central role in shaping the site’s editorial direction and long-term growth. Before joining the project, he built his experience through independent blogging at Echelons Hub and by producing race previews for Ciclismo Internacional, developing a strong analytical voice rooted in daily engagement with professional cycling.
Beyond editorial work, he has been closely involved in the expansion and coordination of CyclingUpToDate’s wider network, helping establish and support sister platforms across multiple languages. This includes ongoing collaboration with CiclismoAlDia (Spanish), CiclismoAtual (Portuguese), WielrennenUpToDate (Dutch), and RadsportAktuell (German), contributing to a shared editorial vision and consistent international coverage.
He also helps oversee editorial governance across the network, setting standards for accuracy and consistency and coordinating updates or corrections when needed.
Originally from the Porto metropolitan area in Portugal, he holds a bachelor’s degree in Geography. His path into cycling journalism was shaped not through formal media training, but through independent reporting, community engagement, and sustained on-the-ground involvement in the sport.
Over the course of his career, he has conducted approximately 100 interviews across road cycling and cyclocross, ranging from one-to-one conversations and online formats to press conferences and on-site pre- and post-race coverage. His interviews include leading riders, team managers, and prominent figures within cycling media: Tadej Pogacar, Jonas Vingegaard, Mathieu van der Poel, Primoz Roglic, Wout van Aert, Joao Almeida and Tom Pidcock; managers like Patrick Lefevere and Joxean Matxin; and YouTube personality Bryan Kennedy (BKXC)...
Within 18 months of launch, he helped grow CyclingUpToDate’s English-language platform into one of the most-read cycling news websites, built entirely from the ground up. As both a professional journalist and lifelong cycling enthusiast, his focus remains on delivering accurate, timely, and well-contextualized coverage.
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