25-year-old Italian sprinter steps up to the WorldTour on a two-year contract
Manuel Belletti has signed with French ProTeam AG2R La Mondiale on a two-year contract. The Italian sprinter, from Cesena near the coast of Emilia Romangna, has spent the last two seasons with Professional Continental team Colnago-CSF Inox – having spent the previous two with Androni Giocattoli – and so the move will be a step up.
“I am very happy to arrive at a WorldTour team like AG2R La Mondiale and I thank [team manager] Vincent Lavenu for this,” said Belletti. “I think it was the best decision for me. I would also like to thank Bruno and Roberto Reverberi and Enersto Colnago for the opportunities they gave me.”
So far this season Belletti has taken four victories, consisting of stage victories in the Giro della Provincia di Reggio Calabria, the Settimana Coppi e Bartali, the Presidential Tour of Turkey, and the Brixia Tour. His biggest result by far though, has been his stage win in the 2010 Giro d’Italia; he took an emotional victory at the finish in Cesenatico in his home region.
“Manuel is a rider who knows how to win races, which he has proven once again this season by picking up four victories,” said Lavenu. “He is a rider who is recognisably reaching maturity.
“AG2R La Mondiale team participates in a lot of races in Italy,” he added. “We have partners in Italy and we are always looking for good riders from across the Alps. Manuel Belleti is one of them.”