Etixx-Quick Step have announced three stagiaires who will join the team for the remaining months of the season – Adrien Costa (Axeon Hagens Berman) and Klein Constantia’s Ivan Cortina and Hamish Schreurs.

Just 18 years old, Adrien Costa has been heralded for some time now as one of the most prodigious talents to come from the US, backed by many impressive wins in the Junior ranks, such as Tour du Pays de Vaud and Tour de l’Abitibi.

Twice runner-up in the time trial at the World Championships, this year Costa became the first American to take the GC honours in Tour de Bretagne, as well as becoming the youngest winner in the history of the race. He showcased himself not only in time trials, but also in the mountains, which led to top 10 placings in two other prestigious races, Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux and Rhône-Alpes Isère Tour.

Hailing from New Zealand, 22 year-old Hamish Schreurs (22 years) had a strong start to the season, where he had podium finishes at both elite races at the National Championships and taking the U23 title for the second consecutive year. On his return to Europe, he won the Carpathian Couriers Race after an incredible display of power.

Schreurs was victorious in the prologue, before taking the penultimate stage from a small group, thus making sure he would go home with the overall victory and the points classification in the bag. Another impressive display followed just a few weeks later, when the Kiwi finished third in Paris-Roubaix, after being part of the long-day break.

In the same race, another Klein Constantia rider finished in the top 10: Ivan Cortina, was the fastest from the big chasing group which rolled home more than a minute behind the winner.

The only rider to get in the top 10 of both Ronde van Vlaanderen and Paris-Roubaix in 2016, Cortina proved a remarkable consistency, as shown by his 16 top-10 placings this season, which include a stage win at Course Cycliste de Solidarnosc et des Champions Olympiques and four podiums.

Hamish Schreurs’ first race will be RideLondon Classic (July 31), while his Klein Constantia teammate Ivan Cortina will join the team for Dwars door het Hageland (August 5). Adrien Costa is expected to make his debut for Etixx – Quick-Step later, in September.

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