Moser critical of Wiggins and Nibali

Former Italian cyclist, Francesco Moser criticised modern Tour stars, Bradley Wiggins (Sky) and Vincenzo Nibali (Liquigas-Cannondale) in an interview with Italy's Il Gazzettino on Tuesday.

"Let's take it slowly," Moser said when asked if Wiggins is a new star. "He won the yellow jersey because the Tour was designed specifically for his characteristics. I don't think he'll be able to double with a different parcours. I think [Alberto] Contador is the only true great.

Sky was the strongest at the Tour, he said. "The Englishman had a team that did what it had to do, while he relied on his time trial strengths."

Nibali, he said, "made a couple of attacks and quit... Not much to worry the strongest... Nibali is only a good rider, not a champion. You need more to merit this title. He's trying, but he's always missing something."

On Nibali's new rumoured €3m contract with Astana, Moser said, "In my days cyclists were stronger and earned less. People are getting excited for nothing, because they have little to cheer for."

Moser won the Giro d'Italia in 1984. He won numerous one-day races: Milan-San Remo, Paris-Roubaix three times, Tour of Lombardy twice, Flèche Wallonne, Paris-Tours and the 1977 World Championships. He admitted to blood doping when he broke the hour record in 1984.

Sky signs Baby Giro winner, Dombrowski

Team Sky announced on Monday that it signed two 21-year-old Americans for the next two years, Baby Giro winner Joe Dombrowski and Ian Boswell.

"Ian and Joe are two of the most talented under-23 riders in the world," Team Sky Race Coach Bobby Julich explained in a press release. "We will offer them the best possible race and training programmes to aid their progression."

Dombrowski became the first American winner of the Under 27 Giro d'Italia or the GiroBio in June.

Rujano signs for Vacansoleil

José Rujano, according to Spain's BiciCiclismo website, will step up from second division team Androni Giocattoli-Venezuela to join the first division with Vacansoleil next year.

The Venezuelan won two stages of the Giro d'Italia last year, but failed to impress his boss this year. "It's a good thing his contract ends this season," team manager, Gianni Savio said at the Giro. "He's done nothing this Giro. ... No second chances."

Savio helped bring Rujano to Europe and saw him to third overall and the mountains jersey in the 2005 Giro. Rujano rode for Quick Step, Unibet and Caisse d'Epargne before re-joining Savio's team last year.

UCI announces teams for WorldTour licences

The Union Cycliste Internationale (UCI) announced yesterday the 18 teams registering for first division, WorldTour licences. Europcar pulled out of the running, with Argos-Shimano expected to take its spot next year.

"I do not have the means to apply for the WorldTour," Europcar's general manager, Jean-René Bernaudeau told France's Velo Chrono website. "It's 30 cyclists, it's a very busy schedule and it was not possible to increase my budget, to have the cyclists, to make it possible."

Dutch team Argos is the only team on a list of six applying for a licence or renewal with AG2R La Mondiale, Euskaltel-Euskadi, Garmin-Sharp, Rabobank and Saxo Bank-Tinkoff. Sky is amongst 12 teams already in possession of a 2013 WorldTour licence.

Roelandts breaks collarbone

Jürgen Roelandts (Lotto-Belisol) broke his collarbone two days ago in one-day race, Binche-Tournai-Binche, according a team press release. He will undergo surgery immediately to speed recovery of the double fracture.

In the Tour Down Under in January, the Belgian crashed and fractured a vertebra in his neck on stage one.

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