Sosa to step up to WorldTour with Trek-Segafredo

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Up-and-coming Colombian climbing talent Ivan Sosa will step up to the WorldTour next year after signing with Trek-Segafredo for the next two seasons. He is the second major signing for the team after they confirmed Grand Tour rider Richie Porte last week.

“I am a man of few words, but I am really, very happy to join Trek-Segafredo as of next year. I have always wanted to race on the highest level, in the WorldTour,” Sosa said in a team press release. “I believe that’s a goal for every young professional cyclist. So, I am very motivated to race in the WorldTour in 2019. I believe Trek-Segafredo is the perfect team for me, to keep growing and learning. I hope to get some really good results for this team in the years to come.”

The impressive neo-pro has been riding with Gianni Savio’s Androni Giocattoli and is the latest climber to graduate from the team into the top tier. The 20-year-old has enjoyed a strong season, finishing sixth overall at the Colombia Oro y Paz in February before putting himself in the limelight when he took the leader’s jersey at the Tour of the Alps in April – though he would eventually abandon after a heavy crash.

He won the Cycling Tour of Bihor, as well as the penultimate stage, before winning the inaugural Adriatico Ionica Race. He also took overall success at the Sibiu Cycling Tour, but his biggest result came with a stage and the overall title at the Vuelta a Burgos, where he beat Vuelta a Espana contender Miguel Angel Lopez. His most recent race was the Tour de l’Avenir, where he beat Brandon McNulty to a stage win after the American celebrated early. Given his performances, Trek-Segafredo was keen to snap him up quickly.

“Without a doubt, Ivan will bring a lot to the team. He’s an exceptional climber, who has made a big progression since he turned pro in 2017,” said general manager Luca Guercilena. “We’ve had him on our radar for a while now, and I am excited we could sign him for 2019 right away. Despite his young age, he has proved already to be competitive at a high level. I believe that a part of his racing attitude has been shaped by his current team, which is well known for their aggressive racing. I am happy that we could find a mutual agreement to give Ivan a new opportunity to take the next step in his career, and to develop his talent further at Trek-Segafredo.”

Losing Sosa will be a blow for Savio and his team but the Italian wished his rider well in his new adventure.

“In these two years, we have let Ivan grow gradually, without putting any pressure on him. Against our interest, but just to safeguard his psychophysical maturation, we have not lined him up in a tough race like the Giro d'Italia,” said Savio. “By winning the Adriatic, Bihor, Sibiu and Burgos, Ivan has given us great satisfaction. Now, he deserves to be able to express himself in a great WorldTour team and we are pleased that he will go to Trek-Segafredo, where his qualities of great climber can be fully exploited.”