Pieter Weening has made his return to WorldTour racing at the age of 39.
The Dutch Grand Tour stage winner has raced a Pro Conti level for the last three years, but has now stepped up to join Trek-Segafredo for the remainder of 2020.
Weening’s contract will only be valid until the end of 2020, but he says he is still competitive at cycling’s highest level.
He said: “Hopefully, I can contribute to achieving great results for the team once the racing re-starts. I know I’m still competitive at a WorldTour level, and my motivation is super high. This will be a new team, new guys, new atmosphere, but I’m looking forward to this challenge and returning to competition.”
Trek-Segafredo first considered signing Weening back in February after their young Italian rider Matteo Moschetti was sidelined with a broken pelvis after a crash.
The coronavirus crisis derailed plans to bring in Weening, but with racing scheduled to return in August he is now ready to race with the US-based squad.
Weening, winner of two Giro d’Italia stages and one Tour de France stage, has raced for Roompot-Charles for the last three seasons, having left Orica-Greenedge back in 2015 – the last time he raced for a WorldTour team.
At Trek he will join compatriots Koen de Kort and Bauke Mollema. who he previously raced with at Rabobank.
>>> Chris Froome joins Mel C, Olly Murs, Ryan Giggs and others in Zwift celebrity challenge
Trek-Segafredo general manager Luca Guercilena said: “We first got in touch with Pieter back in February. Knowing that, after his crash, Matteo Moschetti would be out for an extended period, so we needed an experienced rider who would be able to fit in the group and be ready to race immediately.
“The Covid-19 pandemic slowed down the recruitment process but, despite these turbulent times for cycling, we were determined to keep our word and welcome Pieter as part of the team.”
