The 21-year-old Colombian becomes the fourth rider to turn pro with our team next season.
Sprint prodigy Alvaro Hodeg, who is racing Binche-Chimay-Binche today – his fifth and at the same time final appearance as a Quick-Step Floors stagiaire, following the ones in Desselgem Koerse, Grand Prix de Wallonie, Kampioenschap van Vlaanderen and Tour de l'Eurometropole – has penned a two-year deal with our team.
Alvaro, who before riding as a trainee for the team attented last winter's training camp in Spain, was left speechless by his move to the World Tour with the outfit which has amassed over 300 wins in the past six years: "How crazy is this? I think I need some time to realize I just signed a contract with Quick-Step Floors. I can't believe it right now, but I am super happy! When I got the chance to ride with the team as stagiaire, I was really excited and I wanted to show everybody my very best. Here just a little over a month after, I am left with no words to describe how proud I am that the squad wants me to stay, believing I have a future with them."
In the last season spent in the amateur ranks, Alvaro Hodeg won the intermediate sprints classification at the U23 Giro d'Italia and finished runner-up in just his second race on Belgian turf (Grote Prijs Stad Sint-Niklaas), a sign for what was to come later, at the prestigious Tour de l'Avenir; there, Alvaro got his most important result to date, nabbing the victory on stage 6 after an emphatic sprint in Saint-Amand-Montrond, the site of one of Quick-Step Floors' most impressive wins ever, at the 2013 Tour de France.
"The whole team, from staff to sport directors and riders have given me the best welcome. I feel already at home here and get along with everybody. For now, I want to do my best to help the team in my last race of the season, and then I will be looking forward to the fantastic journey I have ahead of me with Quick-Step Floors over the next two years. I am so motivated and excited about the future, for training harder and better, developing as a rider and learning from all the experience that is present here", concluded Hodeg, the seventh rider to join Quick-Step Floors ahead of next year.
Patrick Lefevere, the team's CEO, talked of the reasons behind Alvaro's transfer and how his addition fits perfectly into the way he sees the future of the squad: "We have closely monitored Alvaro this season and we were really impressed by what we've seen. He has the potential, talent and determination to make it as a pro. I'm sure he will find his place in the team and learn the trade from the more experienced riders, including Fernando, with whom he shares the passion for sprints and one-day races. As you already know, we put emphasis on young riders and their development because we are constantly thinking about the future, and this transfer comes in line with several other young riders who have either signed or extended with us for the next seasons."
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele
