Britain’s Adam Yates will leave Mitchelton-Scott to join Team Ineos from next year.
The 28-year-old has signed for the British team on a two-year deal.
It means he will no longer race for the same team as twin brother Simon, who on Wednesday signed a new two-year deal to stay with the Australian outfit Mitchelton-Scott.
“It is an exciting opportunity and one that I feel has come at the right time,” said Yates.
Yates won one-day race the Clasica de San Sebastian in 2015 and took victory in this year’s UAE Tour stage race shortly before the season was suspended because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Since finishing fourth in the 2016 Tour de France, also winning the best young rider jersey, he has finished 29th in the past two editions of the race.
He will target stage wins rather than focusing on the general classification at this year’s Tour.
“My results in week-long races and one day races have been really solid but I would like to take that consistency to Grand Tour racing with Ineos and see where it takes me,” said Yates.
Yates will give Ineos another British Grand Tour contender after four-time Tour de France winner Chris Froome leaves to join Israel Start-Up Nation for next year.
Yet he will still face competition for a spot as team leader in the Grand Tours in a squad containing reigning Tour champion Egan Bernal, 2019 Giro d’Italia winner Richard Carapaz and 2018 Tour winner Geraint Thomas.
Froome and Thomas were both left out of Ineos’ Tour squad this year, with the team focusing on Bernal and Carapaz, with Russian prospect Pavel Sivakov also in support.
Ineos team principal Sir Dave Brailsford said he was “really delighted” that Yates was “finally” joining the team.
“It feels like the timing is just right as he enters the prime of his career,” he added,
“As a global team with a British heart, Adam’s no-nonsense British character is a perfect fit.
“He knows how to win and his gritty, determined and resilient approach are exactly the attributes we are looking to foster”.
