Italian Road Race champion Fabio Aru has signed for UAE Team Emirates, the team announced today. The 27 year-old has reached a three year deal with the Emirati management.
The news follows previous announcements that Dan Martin (Quick Step Floors) and Alexander Kristoff (Katusha-Alpecin) would also join the team.
Aru won the Vuelta a Espana in 2015, and has also taken high GC finishes in the other Grand Tours. He finished in 5th place overall at the Tour de France this year, one place ahead of Martin and took 2nd (2015) and 3rd (2014) at the Giro d’Italia.
“We welcome a champion like Fabio Aru, his skills perfectly match the ambitions of the team,” said team manager Carlo Saronni. “Besides highlighting Aru’s enormous potential, I’d like to point out that Aru is a rider who can stir up excitement among the fans; he is well-loved because of his generosity on a bike.
“With his performances he will contribute to promoting an ideal team image and he will likely help us reach important competitive milestones.”
Fabio Aru: “I’m honoured that the UAE Team Emirates management and their sponsors want to unite our cycling endeavours. I thank them for the faith they’ve placed in me and I hope to live up to their expectations. I would also like to thank everyone who has been with me up to now in my career, they’ve all been important to my growth.”
Oh, how’s that goin to work with 2 GC men in the big tours.
What does this mean for Dan ?
Aru & Martin should combine really well in the team with each targeting different grand tours. Saronni is Italian, perhaps that might be a consideration?
Good question
I wonder did Dan know the team were in discussion with Aru?
Nob
Mike Selby