Carvalho finished second in the 2017 Portuguese national championship road race, then followed it up in 2018 with a win at the under-23 GP Liberty Seguros and second in both the U23 Portugal Cup and in the youth classification at the Volta ao Algarve. He was also 11th at the GP Portugal 'Nacional 2', and finished third at the 2018 Portuguese national championship road race. Carvalho was 15th at the European Championships in July.
"Joining Hagens Berman Axeon means a lot to me," Carvalho said in a statement published on the team's website. "It's a big step in my career and a great opportunity to compete in the biggest U23 races. I'm really looking forward to being there and helping the team."
Carvalho follows in the footsteps of previous Portuguese riders who found success with the U23 development team run by Axel Merckx. Ruben Guerreiro rode with the team in 2015 and 2016 before graduating to Trek-Segafredo, and will ride with Katusha-Alpecin next year. The Oliveira brothers, Ivo and Rui, rode with the team in 2017 and 2018, and both have signed with UAE Team Emirates for next year.
Carvalho said he views himself as an all-arounder with a puncheur's grit. With Hagens Berman Axeon he hopes to improve on the long climbs and in the race against the clock.
"I think I'm a rider who can deal with all kinds of parcours," Carvalho said. "But I'm strongest on steep and short climbs, and well-suited for races like the Classics."
Carvalho is the fifth rider the Pro Continental team has added to its 2019 roster. The team previously announced junior world champion Jakob Egholm of Denmark, Karel Vacek from the Czech Republic and Americans Sean Quinn and Kevin Vermaerke.
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