The 26-year-old Italian joins the Wolfpack on a mid-season transfer.
The new compact 2020 program, as well as a spate of unfortunate injuries have led to an agreement being reached between ourselves, Fausto Masnada and his former team CCC, allowing the move to be made at this time of the season.
Professional since 2017, Fausto has inked a deal that will see him ride for Deceuninck – Quick-Step until the end of 2021. A former winner of the Piccolo Giro di Lombardia, Masnada began making a name for himself long before that victory, when as a junior he took a remarkable solo win at Trofeo Flexform atop the mythical Madonna del Ghisallo, as well as the Memorial Maurizio Bombieri and Trofeo Bogio L’Oster uphill time trials.
Last year, in just his third season in the pro ranks, the Bergamo-born rider won the hilly stage 6 of the Giro d’Italia, to San Giovanni Rotondo, after an entire day spent in the break, as well as the intermediate sprint and combativity classifications at the end of the three weeks – a spectacular string of results that confirmed his potential and huge determination.
“I’m very happy to join a team of Deceuninck – Quick-Step’s caliber, one of the biggest squads in the world. I want to develop here, continue to grow as a rider and bring some good results. Joining another team mid-season isn’t easy, I have to find my place here, but I’m sure it won’t be a problem, as everybody already gave me a warm welcome. I can’t wait to sport the jersey for the first time at the National Championships, in a couple of days”, Fausto Masnada said.
Deceuninck – Quick-Step CEO Patrick Lefevere was delighted at the thought of having the Italian climber as part of the Wolfpack for the next year and a half: “Fausto has shown last season some impressive things on the climbs in the big races and convinced us with his aggressive style of racing and attitude. As we were also looking for riders to reinforce our squad – hit by bad luck in the past weeks – we decided that Fausto would be the perfect fit, a quality rider who we are convinced will bring his contribution to the team’s success.”
Photo credit: ©Wout Beel
