Image 1 of 6 Overall race leader Edward Theuns (Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise) (Image credit: Fotoreporter Sirotti) Image 2 of 6 The Trek Factory Team men lined up together on the front row. (Image credit: Dave McElwaine) Image 3 of 6 Mark Cavendish (Omega Pharma - QuickStep) shakes hands with Niccolo Bonifazio (Lampre-Merida) before the start of Stage 3 (Image credit: Bettini Photo) Image 4 of 6 Niccolo Bonifazio (Lampre-Merida) wins GP Lugano. (Image credit: Sirotti) Image 5 of 6 Niccolò Bonifazio (Lampre-Merida) wins stage 2 (Image credit: Guoqiang Song) Image 6 of 6 Niccolo Bonifazio (Lampre-Merida) wins GP Lugano. (Image credit: Courtesy of Polartec-Kometa)

Trek Factory Racing announced today the team have signed two young prospects for the 2016 and 2017 seasons. Belgian rider, Edward Theuns will be making the jump up to the WorldTour with Trek, after racing the past couple of years with pro continental team, Topsport Vlaanderen-Baloise. Niccolò Bonifazio is joining the team from Lampre-Merida having won a stage at the Tour of Japan and the one-day Gran Premio di Lugano so far this season.

Trek will look to Theuns as support for Fabian Cancellara in the Spring Classics next year. The 24-year-old made his professional debut last fall but has progressed steadily in the short period and looks forward to supporting Cancellara. Consistently finishing in the top ten, the Belgian has also notched a few victories this season.

"This is huge for me. It's all gone so fast this season. I was hoping to do a solid season and catch the eye of the big teams, but very early on, Trek Factory Racing reached out," Theuns said. "My ambitions are to continue my development as a rider, all while supporting the team's goals. I want to help Fabian have an amazing spring campaign and, when given the chance, I’d like to obtain a good result myself."

After a year competing at the top level with Lampre-Merida, Bonifazio is another rider Trek Factory Racing hopes will develop into a strong Classics contender. The Italian has shown his sprinting talents in the WorldTour including fifth place at this year's Milan-San Remo .

"I have known Niccoló since a couple of years now," Trek's general manager Luca Guercilena said. "I used to provide training schedules for him in my lab in Milan when he was a junior, so I'm very familiar with his capacities. He has given proof of his talent, in particular, in Lugano and San Remo. I believe he can turn into an important rider for the Classics."

The 21-year-old explained he dreams of winning a one-day classic and should gain valuable experience racing with Cancellara, one of the best in the discipline.

"It's [Trek Factory] a team with a very good image and a focus on developing young riders," Bonifazio said regarding his signing. "Winning a classic is my dream and I realise it takes a lot of factors to get there. Experience would be the number one thing. I'm very motivated to start gaining experience with Trek Factory Racing."