Italian Eugenio Alafaci has extended his contract with Trek Factory Racing, continuing with the USA registered WorldTeam for the 2016 season. Alafaci, 25, first signed with TFR in its maiden year (2014), and has proven to be an amiable and tireless workhorse for the team the past two seasons.

“I’m really happy to continue with the team for next season,” expressed Alafaci. “I can tell you that for me it is like a big family here, so I wanted to stay with my mates and all the staff. When I am on the road racing I really enjoy the time with them and that is super important for our job, and, of course, I am also happy for the racing.

“It means a lot to stay in the same team with Giacomo [Nizzolo], he is one of my best friends in my life, so for that I always give 110% for him – and for all my mates! I see myself as a man for the team – in Italian we say ‘uomo squadra’!  So for next season I will continue to give all my support to the team and I am sure that we will have more victories and results – I really believe in it, and I will give 110% for my boys.”

After a flurry of new signings and three contract extensions, Trek Factory Racing has completed its roster for the 2016 season, which will number 25 riders, slightly pared back from the 27 in 2014.

“I think we needed some change because this season was not super and on top of this we know with the new reform we need aggressive riders and ones that can be more combative on the climbs," General Manager Luca Guercilena said. "It is really important, notably in the Grand Tours, that we are present in the overall classification, and all the stages relevant to this. This year we were highly competitive in the Tour de France and need to be consistent the same way across all three Grand Tours.

“We also needed ‘fresh air’. We wanted to change a little bit to start again with a group of riders that are ready and able to fight. And, as usual, we wanted young talent to develop, and that is still the most important thing.

“We lost Danny Van Poppel and Bob Jungels, two strong, young riders, but we added guys like [Peter] Stetina and [Kiel] Reijnen, who are not so young but young still for the WorldTour, and can do something, especially in the USA races. And [Ryder] Hesjedal is a big value that we have added to the team and we are expecting from him good results. And with a guy like [Jack] Bobridge, who we know is a huge talent, we want to see him get back to his form at the highest level possible. And then we have [Edward] Theuns and [Niccolo] Bonifazio, who I actually consider some of the best riders in the EuropeTour ranking.”

The USA registered UCI WorldTeam has always boasted a global roster but for 2016 upped its North American contingent, adding a Canadian for the first time, and doubling its Americans to two.

“Obviously, we must also pay attention to the desires of our sponsors, and the US market is always growing for Trek and this is why we also need to adapt our roster to have some Americans on board and we think that we have found some good guys,” Guercilena said.

Trek Factory Racing 2016:

Returning (18):

Eugenio Alafaci, Julian Arredondo, Fumy Beppu, Fabian Cancellara, Marco Coledan, Stijn Devolder, Laurent Didier, Fabio Felline, Markel Irizar, Bauke Mollema, Giacomo Nizzolo, Yaroslav Popovych, Gregory Rast, Fränk Schleck, Jasper Stuyven, Boy Van Poppel, Riccardo Zoidl and Haimar Zubeldia.

New (7):

Julien Bernard, Jack Bobridge, Niccolo Bonifazio, Ryder Hesjedal, Kiel Reijnen, Peter Stetina and Edward Theuns.