The new Trek WorldTour team has announced the signatures of Julian Arredondo and Riccardo Zoidl for its 2014 line up, as the squad begins to take shape. Both riders are 25 years old, and considered exciting young climbing talents, with both having taken mountainous 2.HC-ranked tour victories against several high quality WorldTour teams.
Colombian Arredondo won March’s Tour de Langkawi thanks to his victory on the tough stage to the top of Genting Highlands, having also finished second on Cameron Highlands two days before. Despite riding for the lesser Nippo-De Rosa team, he then managed to hold out against the onslaught from riders such as Orica-GreenEdge’s Pieter Weening in the five flatter stages that followed.
"Julián did really well in the races of the Asian Tour. We tested him and his results were very good, said the Trek team general manager Luca Guercilena. “His attitude is also very good. He'll be a strong support for our leaders in the climbs.”
Arredondo also took second in May’s Tour of Japan, and won June’s Tour de Kumano - again in Japan - thanks to a mountainous stage victory in Kumano Sangaku, in a one-two with teammate Fortunato Baliani. He should now get the opportunity to prove himself on a bigger stage, under the conditions of the WorldTour.
"I'm incredibly thankful for this opportunity. Every day I wake up and I couldn't be happier,” he said. “It's very hard for young people to make a future in my country. This chance is huge for me. I'll try to make everything out of this and will show every day that Trek was right to pick me.”
Austrian Zoidl won his native Österreich-Rundfahrt in July, where he managed to see off the challenge of Astana’s Kevin Seeldraeyers in the penultimate day’s time trial, after the Belgian had held the yellow jersey since day one. Consequently, Trek is expecting him to bring considerable skills against the clock to the new team, as well as those in the mountains, to the WorldTour environment.
“Riccardo is a very complete rider, who performs well in many disciplines,” said Guercilena. “We had him on our radar before, but after the Tour of Austria, we looked into him. We want to give them opportunities to grow here, especially in the smaller stage races.”
“My hope is that I can keep developing as a rider with the Trek team,” said Zoidl. “I'm very excited about this. It's a dream come true. I had other possibilities, but this project looks really solid and promising to me. I'll be able to learn and accomplish a lot here.”