Team Giant-Alpecin is pleased to announce the signing of two more young talents, joining the WorldTour team from 2017. Chris Hamilton (AUS) will turn professional and join fellow Australian Michael Matthews from next season, while Lennard Hofstede (NED) also makes the step up to the professionals in the WorldTour.
Current U23 Australian road race champion, 21 year-old Hamilton already showed his talent first hand to the team when he raced to 14th overall, the only non-professional in the top-30, at the Tour Down Under, a WorldTour race in its own right, at the start of the season. The strong all-rounder also won the best young rider classification at this year's Herald Sun Tour, as well as finishing in the top 10 overall at the Tour de Taiwan. Hamilton has signed a three-year agreement with the team.
Also just 21 years of age, Hofstede has grown and progressed while racing for the Rabobank Development Team, achieving strong results along the way. The young GC rider has signed a two-year contract with the team, having shown he's ready to take the step up with performances including a stage and the overall at the Rhône-Alpes Isére Tour (2.2), as well as third overall at the Tour de Bretagne (2.2). Hofstede also showed his strengths at one-day racing, with a fourth place at the U23 Liège-Bastogne-Liège.
Coach Marc Reef (NED) gave his thoughts on the team's new signings: “We are very pleased to be signing both Chris and Lennard as we consider them to be very promising young riders with bright futures ahead of them. Chris is a talented climber who can target general classifications in the future. We will take it step-by-step, giving him the opportunity and space to develop. In that line he will race a broad program to also test himself across different type of races.
“Lennard is a versatile rider who we have been following for a longer period as he has shown his strengths over a wide range of terrains, including the more difficult races. We consider this diversity in qualities as very valuable. He has the characteristics of someone who can read the race and organise the team, and in the long term he can potentially grow into the role of a road captain.â€
Clearly pleased to be making the step up to the WorldTour with the team, Hamilton said: “I am very proud to join Team Giant-Alpecin. By signing a long-term agreement the team has shown its confidence in me, giving me a steady base and the support of a very professional structure, allowing me to develop. The opportunities that I will have to grow in stage racing especially attract me.â€
Hofstede said: “It’s a great opportunity. I think Team Giant-Alpecin is the best team for young riders to develop. I joined the team at the January training camp this year and experienced that I can fit in well and it’s a very close group of riders and staff. There are experienced riders who I can learn a lot from, and I am looking forward to re-joining Arthur [van Dongen] and Sam [Oomen] again. The first period will be primarily about investing time, as well as learning from and working with the team. Currently I have the role of a road captain with Rabobank Development and I hope to learn next year from the current captains so that I can one day have this role again.â€
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