Former Team Sky rider Łukasz Wiśniowski: ‘I was sure they would continue for the next few years’

Former Team Sky rider Łukasz Wiśniowski says he was not expecting the news that their main sponsor would be pulling out at the end of 2019.

The Polish pro added that he’s confident team bosses will find a new backer.

Wiśniowski rode for with the British WorldTour outfit for two seasons but has moved to the new CCC Team for 2019.

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The 27-year-old told Cycling Weekly: “[The news] surprised me.

“I was pretty sure the team would continue, not forever but for the next few years.

“It was not great news for the cycling world.

“I’m happier when we have more riders, more sponsors, more teams. That’s better for all of us.”

But Wiśniowski added: “I’m pretty sure that [Team Sky principal Dave Brailsford] will find another sponsor for the team.”

Team Sky announced in December that their long-time sponsor, broadcasting company Sky, will be pulling out at the end of the coming season.

The team said that that the outfit will continue under a new name, if a backer can be found.

Sky’s involvement with cycling came into doubt earlier this year when the company was bought by American communication giant Comcast.

The company’s chairman James Murdoch, a driving force in Sky’s cycling sponsorship, departed shortly after.

Wiśniowski, who joined the WorldTour with Quick-Step in 2015, joined Sky in 2017.

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He finished second in the 2018 Omloop Het Nieuwsblad, followed by an eighth in Kuurne-Brussels-Kuurne the following day.

On why he opted to join Polish WorldTour team CCC from Sky, Wiśniowski said: “I think mainly here I have the chance to try my own races, try to be the leader in races.

“I will be the guy who can get some results and also I will be able to start in one of the Grand Tours.

“For me it was not possible to be in a Grand Tour with Team Sky next year, maybe the Classics but I would like to do a Grand Tour."