Deceuninck-QuickStep`s Davide Martinelli will join Astana in 2020, his new team has reported. The 26-year-old Italian has signed a one-year contract with the Kazakh WorldTour team after having spent the last four years at Patrick Lefevere`s Belgian squad. A strong all-rounder, Martinelli has often been used by Deceuninck-QuickStep as a lead-out rider for the team`s sprinters, as well as figuring frequently for the team at the Hammer Series events in the past couple of years. He is a two-time under-23 Italian time trial champion, and took both of his so-far two professional victories in 2016, on stages of the Tour de Pologne and the Tour de la Provence. `I had a great opportunity to get some good experience in another big team, and I`m sure that, in Astana, I`ll find a great atmosphere where I will have a chance to show my best,` Martinelli said on his new team`s website. `I want to thank my present team,Deceuninck-QuickStep, for these past four years. Now I`m ready to make the next step in my career.`ADVERTISEMENT Astana team manager Alexandr Vinokurov added that the team sees Martinelli performing well in the Classics and at one-day races. `He spent a few years in a team that heavily specialises in those kinds of races, so, despite still being young, he already has some important experience, which will him on the way to his goals,` he said. `In our team, Davide will get an opportunity to show himself at the Classics, and I think he`ll have some good chances to continue progressing as a professional rider. I`m happy to welcome Davide to Astana.` Simon leaves Cofidis for pastures new at Total Direct Energie Elosegui steps up to WorldTour level with Movistar
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