Trek-Segafredo announced Monday that they have agreed to a two-year extension with Bauke Mollema that will see the Dutchman race with the American WorldTour outfit through 2022. The team also confirmed that he and teammate Richie Porte will maintain co-leadership roles at the Tour de France rescheduled for August 29-September 20.
Mollema, who won last year’s Il Lombardia, said the team’s structure will allow him to challenge himself as a rider. "For me, the number one priority was to extend with Trek-Segafredo, and thankfully, the team felt the same way," Mollema said in a team press release.
"I feel a lot of confidence from the team and our sponsors. We have enjoyed great moments together over the past years, but I still have great ambitions, and so does the team.
"The team's current performance structure gives me the confidence that I can continue to develop and challenge myself as a rider. I'm happy to renew with Trek-Segafredo for another two years, and I'm certain that once we're racing again, we'll continue to be successful."
Mollema, 33, joined the team then called Trek Factory Racing in 2015. He has secured a total of 14 career wins and 10 of those have been with Trek-Segafredo. He has won two Grand Tour stages; 2013 Vuelta a España and 2017 Tour de France, and he has finished five-times inside the top 10 general classification at a Grand Tour.
Mollema has won several one-day races during his career: the Clásica San Sebastián in 2016, and his first Monument win at Il Lombardia last October.
"Bauke is a pillar for Trek-Segafredo. He has consistently delivered solid results, and the win in Lombardia was the cherry on the cake," said team general manager Luca Guercilena.
"We believe Bauke's style of racing perfectly matches the team spirit, which is to always, 'fight, fight, fight!' This is one of the key reasons we want him with us for the next years, to keep this momentum, to perform, to win, and to be a role model for our younger riders. Bauke is one of Trek-Segafredo's flagship riders, and we are proud to have him representing our team in the foreseeable future."
Trek-Segafredo confirmed in May that their general classification contenders would maintain their respective goals laid out at the start of the 2020 season, before the COVID-19 coronavirus halted the calendar. Mollema and Porte will share leadership roles at this year’s Tour de France, while new signing Vincenzo Nibali will concentrate on the Giro d’Italia (October 3-25).
Mollema will also focus on the Ardennes Classics – La Flèche Wallonne (September 30), Liège-Bastogne-Liège (October 4) and Amstel Gold Race (October 10), and look for stage wins at the Vuelta a España (October 20-November 8).
