The 21-year-old USA National ITT Champion will move to the World Tour from Hagens Berman Axeon, where he has built a reputation as a strong and dependable rider.
Ian Garrison signed a two-year contract with Deceuninck – Quick-Step, which he will join next year after catching the eye of the team with a series of impressive performances over the past seasons. Garrison’s speciality is against the clock, a discipline at which he showed promise in as long ago as 2016, when he took bronze at the Junior World Championships.
His prowess against the clock was again on display in June of this year, when he became both USA National ITT Champion and U23 Champion, taking victory in the Elite race ahead of several experienced World Tour level riders. This performance was followed up by a silver medal at the U23 World Championships in Yorkshire last month, which rounded out a solid season that saw him come runner-up also at Le Triptyque des Monts et Châteaux.
Speaking of his move to the team, Ian said: “I am really excited! It is an incredible opportunity to ride with a squad of this level. It is something that I have always dreamed of, as I have been a fan of the Wolfpack for a long time and watched them race, so I am excited to be a part of it and learn. I am still young at 21 and I want to have a long career and seeing the progress that Deceuninck – Quick-Step have helped other young riders make is a big part of my decision and trusting in that they can get the best from me.”
“I grew up riding my bike – my parents didn’t race, but ride bikes (they have a tandem), so growing up we rode for fun. Through enjoying sports, I brought some competitiveness to it and then through cyclo-cross and the velodrome in Atlanta I got introduced to racing. I just loved watching the Tour de France in the summer, so I knew all about Deceuninck – Quick-Step and what a special team they are, and now I’m over the moon knowing I will pull on their jersey in the next two years! At the same time, I want to say a big thanks to everyone at Hagens Berman Axeon for believing in me and helping me become a better rider!”
Deceuninck – Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere was clearly delighted with the signing of Ian Garrison: “I am very happy to add another young and talented rider to our roster. We are always on the lookout for riders who have potential that we can help to develop, and while Ian has already shown that he can compete with the best, we hope that we can help him become even stronger. To win the Elite ITT title at such a young age is proof of the fact that he already has the talent and commitment to make it, and we are looking forward to working with him.”
Photo credit: ©Tim De Waele/ Getty Images