Tyler Farrar will ride with Team MTN-Qhubeka in 2015. The American sprinter, who has won a stage in each of the three grand tours, leaves Garmin-Sharp after seven years.
"Farrar brings a tremendous amount of experience with him to Team MTN-Qhubeka as well as some pure speed and power that will fit directly into the team’s plans and goals for the 2015 cycling season,” his new team said in a statement on Tuesday.
“Farrar is one of the big names in world cycling and even bigger in the cycling circles of the United States of America.”
Farrar, 30, has won one stage in the Tour de France (2011), two in the Giro d’Italia (2010) and three at the Vuelta a España (2009, 2010). His most successful seasons to date were between 2009 and 2011. Farrar won a stage at the 2013 Tour of California but his only triumph this year was the points ranking at the Ster ZLM Toer, although he had a solid spring classics campaign, with second place finishes at Dwars door Vlaanderen and Scheldeprijs.
“This is a big change for me in my cycling career after having spent 7 years with my current team,” Farrar said in the MTN-Qhubeka press release.
“Coming from America I understand how important it is to globalise the sport of cycling. The African continent is a huge untapped area when it comes to cycling, you just need to look at what Africa is doing in track and field to realise the potential. Team MTN-Qhubeka is leading the way for the African continent in that regard and so it is a project that I really want to be part of.”
Team principal Doug Ryder called the sprinter “an incredible asset to Team MTN-Qhubeka, saying he “will help our team move forward and maintain our position in the upper echelons of World Cycling. Tyler is one of the most successful riders to come out of the United States of America.”
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The South African has already announced the signings of South African Reinardt Janse van Rensburg, Dutch rider Theo Bos and Norwegian Edvald Boasson Hagen for the coming season. Earlier today it was announced that Linus Gerdemann was leaving the team as his option for 2015 was not picked up.
