UAE Team Emirates-XRG have extended their spate of transfer announcements, revealing the promotion of Davide Stella from their development team to the WorldTour squad.
Aged just 20, Stella will join Tadej Pogačar in the top-tier team on a three-year contract after two seasons with UAE Emirates Gen Z team.
A pure sprinter, the Italian has gained plenty of experience racing with the WorldTour team, riding nine days last season and beginning this year at the AlUla Tour, though he failed to finish after suffering injuries in a nasty crash.
He returned to competition in April, winning a stage of the Volta a Portugal do Futuro, the Under 23 race. Stella is also an accomplished track racer, winning multiple World and European titles at Junior and Under-23 levels.
"This step up means so much to me. It’s a dream I’ve had since I was a kid, and making it a reality now gives me the chance to set new goals and chase even bigger dreams with the team," Stella said.
"It’s been a tough season but I’ve worked hard to turn things around and I’m very thankful to all the great people around me and to the team for making this possible."
UAE have been busy in the transfer market in recent weeks, Stella joining Marco Frigo and Abel Balderstone as new arrivals at the Emirati squad next. Earlier this month they revealed that Isaac Del Toro had extended his contract through to the end of the 2031 season.
Stella looks set to fill a sprinting hole soon to be vacated by Juan Sebastian Molano, who has been heavily linked with a move away from UAE in 2027.
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