ORICA-BikeExchange has secured one of its biggest engines, West Australian Luke Durbridge, for the next two seasons.

The former Australian road race champion, and only elite man to win the road race and time trial in the same year, is one of the ORICA-BikeExchange’s ‘big-three’ riders and a vital member of the team’s power source as shown in last weekend’s bronze medal ride in the team time trial world championships.

At just 25 years of age, Durbridge, who has raced at the past three editions of the Tour de France, continues to develop into a key contributor for the team’s Grand Tour ambitions but also as a Classics hopeful himself.

“I've been with the team since the beginning and I'm very happy with the role that I have, thanks to the development I have been able to do here,” Durbridge said.

“I’m especially pleased with how things have come together for me this year. I’ve been able to focus on the Classics and also to work for our leaders in the Grand Tours which has been great.

“I would definitely like to keep that focus and also work to get back into time trialing even more. It's something that I know I can use for a lot of purposes, both for my own results and for our common goals.

“The team definitely feels like home to me. I really like the environment, working closely with really good mates around me and I think we'll have a lot of results coming up in the next seasons. I look forward to being a part of it."

Pleased to see constant development in line with set objectives, sport director Matt White said Durbridge was an invaluable asset in the most demanding races on the calendar.

“We have definitely seen Durbo (Durbridge) coming of age this last season and we’re really pleased to see how his long term development plan has succeeded,” White said.

“He has done a large amount of high-level racing at a young age and he has adapted to it all mentally and physically.

“Luke has an astonishing engine and he has put it to great use in both the Classics and the Grand Tours. He has become a key member to our core group in the most demanding races and we’re happy to have him signed for the years to come.”

Luke Durbridge

Age: 25
From: Greenmount, Western Australia
Turned Professional:  2012 

Key results:

-       1st 2015 Giro d'Italia - Stage 1 (TTT) 
-       1st 2014 Giro d’Italia – Stage 1 (TTT)
-       1st 2013 National Championships Australia – Road Race
-       1st 2013 National Championships Australia – Time Trial
-       2nd 2015 Giro d'Italia - Stage 21
-       3rd 2016 UCI Team Time Trial World Championship