Matteo Trentin is getting a stagiaire contract with the Quick Step team, starting on August 1, 2011. The reigning Italian U23 has already received a two-year contract, so the Quick Step team is confident that Trentin will do well in the stagiaire phase.
The 21-year-old has won six events this season, including the UCI races G.P. Liberazione and the Trofeo De Gasperi. Those victories come alongside the win in the Italian National Championship in the U23 category on Friday.
Team Manager Patrick Lefevere always has a watchful eye on young talent. "Matteo made a good impression on us, not only for his technical skills but also for his personality," he said. "Trentin will join the team starting August 1st, 2011, and he'll race with us until the end of 2013."
Quick Step looks past its current generation of racers, in a quest to stay around as a team for many years to come. "Matteo's arrival is the start of a wider project the team is working on for the immediate future, dedicated to young riders and their development," Lefevere explained.
Trentin is ready to take the next step in his successful career. "I'd like to thank the Quick Step Cycling Team and Patrick Lefevere for the faith they have placed in me," said Trentin. "Passing to the professionals on the team I've always admired is a dream come true for me. I can't wait to be able to wear this jersey during races." Trentin has enjoyed several years of support in his amateur career from various quarters. "I also would like to thank the people around me for all the support and trust they gave me in these years. This tricolore jersey is for them."
On Friday, Trentin took the title by four seconds over Fabio Aru. Besides his wins, Trentin also was fifth in the U23 Ronde van Vlaanderen this year. Trentin also excels in cyclocross. He was Italian junior champion in 2007. In 2010, he achieved a ninth place in the U23 Worlds in Tabor, Czech Republic. Trentin also has already served a two-month suspension for Salbutamol doping in 2007.