Reigning under-23 US nationwide time trial champion Artem Shmidt signed a two-year contract with Ineos Grenadiers, placing the 20-year-old on the WorldTour staff by way of 2026.
This is the primary skilled contract for the Georgia native, who will be part of the event squad on the finish of August after competing with Team USA on the Tour de l’Avenir, going down August 18-24.
“I’m very grateful to be becoming a member of Ineos Grenadiers for the remainder of this season and the subsequent two years. It was a objective from day one to trip for this staff so making it a actuality is mostly a dream come true,” Shmidt advised Cyclingnews.
“I can’t wait to study from the riders and workers to enhance my recreation, however extra importantly to assist the staff in any manner I can. Super excited to see what the subsequent couple years carry!”
Shmidt confirmed off his large engine as a 12-year-old when he swept junior nationwide titles within the time trial, street race and criterium. Riding for improvement groups Mission Source/NGCA and Hot Tubes Development, Shmidt climbed the ladder to Pro 1-2 occasions, and in 2022 he earned two silvers and a bronze at street nationals within the males’s junior 17-18 division. He additionally gained expertise in Belgium with stints on Cannibal Team, the place he earned two GCs in Europe as a junior.
His remaining races as a junior got here in 2022 on the UCI Road World Championships in Scotland, the place he rode a majority of the junior street race within the breakaway and completed fifth. In the lads’s junior time trial he was sixth, making him the highest US finisher in each occasions. The final two seasons Shmidt has raced for one of many high improvement groups within the US, Hagens Berman Jayco.
“I can’t thank Hagens Berman Jayco and Axel Merckx sufficient for an ideal final 1.5 seasons. I’ve developed a lot as a rider but in addition as an individual and I wouldn’t be the place I’m right now with out them. Also, the identical goes to Hot Tubes and Toby [Stanton], Cannibal Team and Mission Source,” he added.
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While at Hagens Berman Jayco, he received a stage at Istarsko Proljeće and had a podium within the one-day Coppa della Pace final 12 months, and in 2024 he demonstrated his all-around talents with high mountains classification placings, taking second at Alpes Isère Tour and fourth at Circuit des Ardennes.
“Artem just isn’t completely new to the staff as he’s attended quite a few our coaching camps the place he’s impressed us each together with his method and his skill on the bike. He’s an thrilling younger expertise with a variety of abilities throughout time trialing, climbing and rolling terrain,” stated Scott Drawer, efficiency director for Ineos Grenadiers in a staff assertion.
“He comes from a background and setting that’s acquainted to us, and one which we all know has a confirmed observe document of offering glorious grounding for professional bike riders.”
Hot Tubes Cycling Club additionally produced Ineos rising stars Andrew ‘AJ’ August and Magnus Sheffield, each from upstate New York. Sheffield, who represented the US in street occasions on the Olympic Games this 12 months, signed with Ineos in 2022 whereas August joined this 12 months. Both August and Shmidt are previous winners of the distinguished SPIE Internationale three-day junior race within the Netherlands.
“Obviously AJ and I’ve been superb associates for some time now so I’m very excited to be teammates with him once more. Also very stoked to study as a lot as I can from Magnus. I’m sure he can assist me enhance and increase my improvement.”