The Eolo-Kometa team was launched in 2018 under the name Polartec-Kometa. It is the project of the two ex-professionals Alberto Contador (winner of all three Grand Tours) and Ivan Basso (two-time winner of the Giro d'Italia). The team is currently still called Eolo-Kometa and is focussed on Aurum racing bikes on the road - Contador's cycling brand. However, the name of the team will change from 2024. The telecommunications company Eolo will no longer be the team's namesake; instead, the team will be called Polti-Kometa thanks to Polti's involvement. The Italian-Hungarian food manufacturer Kometa will remain on board.
Team Polti: Colourful jerseys and a shadow over the past
Polti is an old acquaintance in cycling. The steam appliance manufacturer was already the main sponsor of a professional cycling team from 1994 to 2000 and is now joining the UCI Pro Team Eolo-Kometa for an initial period of three years. In the 1990s, Team Polti was known for its colourful jerseys.
With Ivan Gotti, the team won the Giro d'Italia in 1999. A triumph that was later criticised due to the doping revelations surrounding Gotti (the Italian was sentenced to five months probation in 2004 for possession of doping substances).
In addition, riders such as Richard Virenque (who made his comeback with Polti after being banned for doping in the Festina affair) and Jörg Jaksche were under contract. In 2007, Jaksche himself opened up in detail about doping practices in cycling and also heavily implicated Gianluigi Stanga, the long-time manager of the Polti team, in the Spiegel.
Polti-Kometa: Ivan Basso about goals
Polti's future involvement includes the professional team, the U23 team and the junior teams. "The goal is clear: to create opportunities for aspiring cyclists, take the team to the next level and establish it as a reference point in the world of cycling," Ivan Basso is quoted as saying in the Eolo-Kometa press release.
