Canadian cycling star Ryder Hesjedal switches to Trek Factory Racing

TORONTO – Canadian cycling star Ryder Hesjedal, looking to make a push for another Grand Tour win, is moving to the Trek Factory Racing team.

The 34-year-old from Victoria, who made Canadian cycling history when he won the 2012 Giro d’Italia, has spent the last eight seasons with the Cannondale-Garmin team.

“I am very excited about this. Trek’s management and I are on the same page in terms of what we can achieve together,” Hesjedal said in a Trek statement. “I know that I still have podium-level legs for the Grand Tours.”

Trek looks to have Hesjedal lead its Giro charge next May. Hesjedal was fifth in this year’s race and ninth in 2014. Italian Fabio Felline was the top Trek rider in this year’s Giro general classification standings, at 32nd.

Dutch rider Bauke Mollema is expected to lead Trek next July at the Tour de France, where he was seventh this year.

Hesjedal finished 40th at the Tour de France, a race in which he was listed as a co-leader for Cannondale-Garmin along with American Andrew Talansky (who finished 11th) and Ireland’s Dan Martin (39th).

“This is an excellent signing for our team and I have no doubt our fans in North America will be very happy as well,” Trek GM Luca Guercilena said in the company statement. “Ryder is a very strong racer and he has a very constant performance.”

“Welcoming a Grand Tour winner makes us feel very proud,” Guercilena added. “I believe he will be a good fit for our team.”

Hesjedal said he is also targeting the three Ardennes Classic one-day races with Trek.

“You basically work backwards with the Giro being the No. 1 goal,” Hesjedal said. “The rhythm to get to your best shape in the Giro leads you to those races. I know the routine to get there.”

The Canadian paid tribute to his Cannondale-Garmin days.

“I have excellent memories from the past seasons and I have a lot of friends there. But I’m thrilled about this change of air. I believe it’s what I needed.”

Hesjedal noted he had begun his road career on a Trek bicycle.

“People ask me if I’m contemplating the end of my career. If I was, the circle would now be complete. The truth is I don’t really know how long I’ll still be racing. As far as performance goes, and how I feel, I feel there’s still a lot in there. This year’s Giro was a confirmation of that. But yes, I don’t see myself racing for another five years. One, two or three, we’ll see.”

The Trek roster also features Swiss veteran Fabian Cancellara, a star rider who excels at time trials and leads the team in one-day races, and rising star Bob Jungels of Luxembourg.

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