American Brent Bookwalter and Ethiopian Tsgabu Girmay have both signed one-year extensions with Mitchelton-SCOTT for the 2021 season.
The pair both joined the outfit in 2019 and are valuable, experienced contributors to the team’s stage race and Grand Tour ambitions.
Brent Bookwalter:
Date of Birth: 16 February 1984 (36)
Nationality: USA
Joined Mitchelton-SCOTT: 2019
New Contract: 2021
Despite the interrupted year, Bookwalter began to settle into the Mitchelton-SCOTT set-up in his second season with the team.
The veteran had a stand-out performance for seventh at Strade Bianche, his best one-day result, and can also be credited for successful team performances at Ruta del Sol (Jack Haig second) and Tirreno-Adriatico where Simon Yates took the overall victory.
“All things considered with this crazy COVID-19 altered year there’s a lot of positives that I’ve been able to take from the season. It was another year settling in with the team; I feel more at home, more synced up with the team, coaching staff, performance staff and my teammates and I think that showed out on the road.
“I’m proud of the team performances I did, supporting Jack Haig at Ruta del Sol and I felt like I was an integral part of Simon Yates’ big win at Tirreno-Adriatico.
“Individually, the big positive for me was the ride I put together at Strade Bianche. I think it was my best single-day result at a WorldTour one-day race and to do it off the back of the shut down so especially positive and important to me. Becoming a dad this year I was challenged at home and with training to figure out how I was going to put that together and to come out of the break with such a strong ride at Strade Bianchi was really encouraging and inspiring for the coming years.
“For 2021, I just want to keep continuing where I left off this year, heal up this back injury that I finished the season with at the Giro and then get back to work, helping the team to realise their big goals of trying to win another Grand Tour and put wins on the board in general.”
Head Sport Director Matt White on Brent Bookwalter:
“Brent is an experienced campaigner, he is a valuable older statesmen for the younger, up-and-coming guys and whatever race program we chose with Brent next year, he is going to be of value to the group in general.
“He is still has ambitions to achieve things for himself and also in his role as a worker for our leaders throughout the calendar.”
Tsgabu Girmay:
Date of Birth: 26 August 1991 (29)
Nationality: Ethiopia
Joined Mitchelton-SCOTT: 2019
New Contract: 2021
Girmay continued to show his dedication as a team player during the 2020 season, playing a role in the outfit’s success at the UAE Tour and Coppa Sabatini. The Ethiopian finished his season at the recent Vuelta a España and is looking forward to building towards yet another year with the Australian outfit.
“I am so happy to continue with the team again next year. I am comfortable in this team; it has a really amazing atmosphere with each rider and staff.
“I am always excited for racing with my teammates and having a great time, that makes my job easier and makes me love my job. I am so lucky to be part of it again next year and looking forward and would like to thank the team for giving me the opportunity for the next year also.
“I will do my best to help the GC guys and to do whatever the team need me to do and put me to work for. I am really ready and I will work and fight so hard for it.”
White on Girmay:
“Tsgabu is committed, he is a guy that you can see enjoys his role, he is a real team player and gives 110% every time he pins a number on.
“He has really gelled well with the group in the past two years and we’re looking forward to him playing that role again in 2021.””
