Spaniard to bolster US-registered team's hopes in Grand Tours
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A bandaged and bruised Alberto Contador finishes stage 1 of the Tour de France after a crash earlier in the day.(Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)
Reporters surround Alberto Contador after the finish of Dauphine's fifth stage
After crashing twice in the opening two days, Alberto Contador says so long to the 2016 Tour de France during stage 9.
Alberto Contador in the middle of two Tinkoff teammates(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Alberto Contador (Tinkoff) after his crash(Image credit: Tim de Waele/TDWSport.com)
Earlier this week Cyclingnews broke the story that Alberto Contador would sign for Trek Segafredo on the first rest day in the Tour de France. We can now reveal that the Spaniard has put pen to paper for next season and will ride for the US-registered WorldTour team in 2017.
According to sources Contador’s brother and agent agreed final terms with Trek-Segafredo in Andorra on Monday evening and the deal is done.
Contador has agreed a two-year deal with Trek-Segafredo, with the second year an optional for both sides. The 33-year-old is expected to bring at least two riders with him to the team, one of which is Jesus Hernandez, who also rides for Tinkoff.
Trek-Segafredo has made a number of announcements in the last few days, including the re-signing of Bauke Mollema. The Dutch rider, currently in the top ten at the Tour de France, is expected to ride the Tour alongside Contador next season.
Trek Segafredo would not comment on the arrival of Contador for 2017 when contacted by Cyclingnews.
The team are set to sign John Degenkolb for 2017 with Koen de Kort set to join the German and leave Giant Alpecin at the end of the season. Trek-Segafredo will change objectives in 2017 after Fabian Cancellara retires at the end of this season.
Riders are not officially allowed to announce their new teams until the UCI’s deadline of August 1 but Cyclingnews has gathered confirmation of the arrival of Contador and Degenkolb from several sources.
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Contador’s official unveiling as a Trek-Segafredo rider is likely to take place later in the summer.
Contador announced earlier on Tuesday that he would almost certainly not compete in the Rio Olympics. He abandoned the Tour de France on stage 9 due to a number of injuries and after suffering a fever. He hopes to ride the Vuelta a Espana, where he will seek a fourth title in the Spanish Grand Tour.
Daniel Benson was the Editor in Chief at Cyclingnews.com between 2008 and 2022. Based in the UK, he joined the Cyclingnews team in 2008 as the site's first UK-based Managing Editor. In that time, he reported on over a dozen editions of the Tour de France, several World Championships, the Tour Down Under, Spring Classics, and the London 2012 Olympic Games. With the help of the excellent editorial team, he ran the coverage on Cyclingnews and has interviewed leading figures in the sport including UCI Presidents and Tour de France winners.
