Cape Town - Team Dimension Data has announced that Giacomo Nizzolo has signed a two-year deal commencing January 1, 2019.

The 29-year old Italian sprinter joins from Trek-Segafredo where he’s been since the start of his professional career in 2011.

Crowned the Italian road race champion in 2016, Nizzolo has 18 career victories to his name.

Typically he has shown his consistently good form in 2018 with 24 top-10 finishes and is now looking at taking the next step in his career to achieve even bigger goals.

The man from Milan has raced seven Grand Tours (six Giro d’Italia’s as well as the recently concluded Vuelta a Espana) and finished on the podium for a stage in every single one of those.

Nizzolo becomes the latest in a raft of signings announced by Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka since the opening of the transfer window on August 1 including the likes of Danilo Wyss, Michael Valgren, Lars Bak, Enrico Gasparotto, Stefan de Bod, Rasmus Tiller, Roman Kreuziger, to go with a host of renewals.

Giacomo Nizzolo - Rider

“It’s an emotional moment for me, as I am changing teams for the first time in my pro career. Coming off two seasons in which physical issues have affected the chances to pursue my goals, I chose the project that showed me the greatest trust and that could put me in the best position to go for the big targets.

“Since talking to the Head of Performance, Rolf Aldag, I was impressed with the ambitions and vision that drive Team Dimension Data for Qhubeka has and I was sure that I wanted this team to be the next exciting step in my career.”

“I have been racing with Trek in all my eight pro seasons, and of course I have met many people there - team-mates, managers, sports directors, performance staff – who were instrumental in my development as a rider. I am very grateful to Trek and manager Luca Guercilena for the trust and opportunities they have given to me over this long period. They will always represent a big part of my career, and who I am as a rider, and I am looking forward to write exciting new pages with Dimension Data for Qhubeka.

“One of the big motivations behind my choice is the fact that Team Dimension Data will put me in the ideal conditions to pursue my ambitions in the sprints, showing complete confidence in me and providing the backing of an impressive lead out squad, that will get even better in 2019.

“I have been among the most consistent performers in the World Tour for years, I feel that ‘fast men’s Classics’ and GT stages are within my reach and I want to unleash my full potential with Team DD. The level in the sprints is crazy-high in the World Tour and I am sure this strong line-up will make a huge difference in what we will manage to do together.

I was born in Milan, and Milan-Sanremo is the race of my dreams: it would be awesome to fulfil them in a DD jersey.

Looking in from the outside I’ve been impressed by the huge impact that the Team and Qhubeka are having in cycling (not only professionally) in Africa, I hope to be able to see in person how #BicyclesChangeLives, and contribute to it.

“I can clearly recall some of the Team’s standout wins like Steve Cummings’ TdF success on Mandela Day where you could really appreciate that the guys were racing for something more than just the day’s standings. Team Dimension Data will also get back to having Italian riders on its roster after several years, and I am looking forward to act as ambassador for the Qhubeka project both in Italy and beyond.

Douglas Ryder - Team Principal

We are delighted that Giacomo agreed to come and join our team as we look to achieve our collective goals in 2019 and beyond.

What’s struck me over the years is his consistency as a bike rider and his ability to get results perhaps when things haven’t always been in his favour. With the squad that we have we will be looking to him to now take those opportunities and feature more regularly on the top step of the dais.

His arrival, along with the other outstanding blend of youth and experience that we’ve recently announced, together with the current members of our squad that are staying, illustrates how ambitious we are heading into the 2019 season.

Giacomo’s already outlined the admiration that he has for Qhubeka and the role that he sees himself playing in our continued mission to change lives across the world through bicycles. We look forward to having him on board with us to not only realise his own dreams but the aspirations of the team and the change that we’re hoping to effect across the world.