Rising British star Tao Geoghegan Hart, 21, will join Team Sky from next season, stepping up to WorldTour level for the first time.
Geoghegan Hart raced as a stagiaire for the British WorldTour team at the end of last season – riding in the team’s colours at the Giro del Piemonte and Japan Cup.
And having returned to Axeon-Hagens Berman – Axel Merckx’s development team in America, which has also produced the likes of Alex Dowsett and Taylor Phinney – Hart will now join full time in 2017.
The British under-23 national champion said: “It’s super exciting for me. There are guys here who have come through a similar path to me and also have a background on the track.
“I was on British Cycling’s programme up until the age of 18 when I went to Axeon, so these are riders that I have looked up to for a very long time. To be team-mates with them is very exciting, and hopefully it will make the step up into being a WorldTour rider a little bit easier.
“This season was about getting another year stronger, becoming more consistent, and developing as a rider and as a person, before making the big step up from a Continental team to a WorldTour team. I’m 21 now, so I think this is the ideal time to be stepping up into a big team. I’m super, super excited.”
Geoghegan Hart is the second rising British star to be added to the Team Sky line-up for next year, after team pursuit world champion and 2015 Tour of Britain runner-up Owain Doull.
His season so far has included victory at the Trofeo Piva and 12th-place finishes at the Tour of California and Tour of Utah.
London-born Geoghegan Hart was also crowned best young rider at last year’s USA Pro Challenge and has been on the podium at the Paris-Roubaix Juniors and Liege-Bastogne-Liege U23 races.
He and Doull will join the fellow young Brit Alex Peters in Team Sky’s ranks, alongside more established British riders like Tour de France champion Chris Froome and Geraint Thomas.
Team Sky team principal Sir Dave Brailsford said: “We’ve been following Tao for a long time now and obviously had him with us as a stagiaire at the end of last year. He’s continued to show real progress this year and we’re delighted he’ll be taking the next steps in his career with Team Sky.
“Tao is another exciting addition to the group of young, talented British riders we have at Team Sky.”
Steve Cummings claims Tour of Britain title after twice finishing runner-up
Nairo Quintana seals red jersey but Tour de France champion takes confidence from another podium finish
Dimension Data man becomes just second British Tour of Britain winner after Bradley Wiggins
Nairo Quintana holds 81-second lead over Team Sky man ahead of final mountain stage
Team Sky man claims summit finish victory as Brit closes in on overall victory