Irish cyclist Philip Deignan has landed a place with Team Sky for the 2014 season.
The 29-year-old from Donegal joins the team after a successful second season with the UnitedHealthcare squad which has seen him win the Tour of the Gila, finish runner-up at the Tour de Beauce, and claim top-10 finishes at both the Tours of Utah, California and the USA Pro Challenge.
Deignan turned professional with AG2R Prevoyance in 2005 and won the Tour de Doubs in his maiden season before making his Grand Tour debut at the 2007 Vuelta a Espana.
After joining Cervelo TestTeam in 2009, Deignan helped the squad to four stage victories at the Giro d’Italia before sealing his first Grand Tour stage win at the Vuelta, riding to ninth place overall in the process.
Although illness hampered much of his 2010 campaign, Deignan was named in that year’s Vuelta a Espana squad before making the switch to RadioShack in 2011. His sixth Grand Tour appearance came that year at the Giro d’Italia and he also aided the team’s successes at the Trofeo Inca, Tour de Suisse, Tour of Utah and inaugural USA Pro Challenge before penning a two-year deal with UnitedHealthcare.
Next in action at the Tour of Britain, Deignan is the second new name to be unveiled ahead of the 2014 season, following the announcement in June that Nathan Earle would also be joining the squad.
On the prospect of becoming the first Irish Team Sky rider, Philip Deignan said: “I’m really excited to get the opportunity to race for the biggest team in the world and to be able to ride for some of the best riders in the world. It’s going to be a big challenge but I’m really looking forward to it.
“It’s a fantastic team where nothing is left to chance with the coaching and the diet – which will really suit the type of rider that I am. Team Sky will offer me the kind of environment I need to be in to help me perform to the best of my ability.
“I spent a few years in the WorldTour before moving over to America for two great seasons racing with UnitedHealthcare, who I really must thank for such great support both on and off the bike over the past two seasons.
“I now feel like I’m at the level where I can race in the WorldTour in Europe so when I got the opportunity to head back there with Team Sky it was hard to resist.”
Team Sky's principal Dave Brailsford said: "Everyone at Team Sky is very excited to have Philip join us from the start of next season.
“We’re well aware of what he is capable of on a bike. He’s a climber of real quality and he will certainly strengthen our squad even further in stage race competition.
“He brings experience to the team and we believe he belongs at this level. It’s great to finally have an Irish rider on our roster and I’m certain that under our coaches and performance staff there is a lot more to come from Philip.”
Meanwhile, Vincenzo Nibali maintained his 31-second lead over Micolas Roche at the Vuelta a Espana on Friday, with French youngster Warren Barguil claiming the win on stage 13.
Barguil, who was part of a 10-strong breakaway pack in the 169km race from Valls to Castelldefels, broke clear in the closing stages with the general classification riders seemingly happy to keep their respective tours ticking over.
Nibali was in the pack that finished two minutes and 43 seconds behind the 21-year-old Argos-Shimano rider, as did Irishman Roche.
Alejando Valverde (Movistar) and Christopher Horner (Radioshack Leopard) are 46 seconds adrift of Nibali after also finishing in the same group as the leading pair.
The next three days will see the riders complete three mountain stages.
