Tao Geoghegan-Hart, the 21 year old British Rider who has been riding with the American development team Axeon Hagen Berman for the past three seasons, will be joining Team Sky in 2017. The announcement comes just one day after it was confirmed that recent Olympic champion Owain Doull, who rides for Team Wiggins, will also be joining the team.
‘It’s super exciting for me,’ said Geoghegan-Hart. ‘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.’
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 said regarding Geoghegan-Hart’s turnout for Team Sky at the Japan Cup and Giro del Piemonte in 2015. ‘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.’
Doull meanwhile will join after being crowned an Olympic champion as part of the four-man team pursuit team in Rio. The Welshman was also third overall at the Tour of Britain last year, and will ride the rest of the 2016 season with Team Sky.
‘From a personal perspective it’s always great to be bringing young British talent into Team Sky,’ said Brailsford. ‘It reflects very well on the investment and support Sky has provided through the British Cycling programme, the Wiggins team and, of course, Team Sky.’