After two seasons with the Orica GreenEdge setup, Japanese rider Fumiyuki Beppu has signed a contract with the new Trek-backed team which will take over RadioShack Leopard’s WorldTour licence in 2014.
Beppu previously raced for the Discovery Channel team in 2005, 2006 and 2007 and was part of the RadioShack setup in 2010 and 2011. Both those stints saw the squads use Trek bikes, and the fact that the Japanese market is of strategic importance to the manufacturer contributes to the signing.
“Japan has one of the strongest cycling communities in the world and in Fumy we have one of the most celebrated Japanese riders in history,” explained Trek Sports Marketing Manager Simon Thompson, announcing the move. “Fumy is very well known to Trek and we are very pleased to welcome him back to the Trek family with our exciting new project.”
Beppu is a double national champion in both road race and time trial and has top ten finishes in the GP Ouest France, GP d’Isbergues and Driedaagse van West Vlaanderen to his credit.
In 2009 he rode the Tour de France, clocking up two top ten stage finishes plus the most combative rider award on stage 21. He and compatriot Yukiya Arashiro became the first Japanese riders to complete the race. Last year Beppu was 22nd in the Olympic road race.
He is looking forward to the move. “I’m very pleased to be a part of the new Trek team. This new team has a lot of great and experienced riders so I’m very excited to work with them”
Details of the new team are still being finalised. Fabian Cancellara and the Schleck brothers have already been confirmed for the squad, which is being formed out of the structure of the current RadioShack Leopard setup.