Dries Devenyns returns to Etixx-Quick Step

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Belgian Dries Devenyns will ride for Etixx-QuickStep from 2017 with the team announcing his return after one season with Giant-Shimano and two with IAM Cycling. The 33-year-old joins three teammates in securing a ride for next season after Michel Thétaz announced in May he would stop funding the IAM Cycling team at the end of 2016.

"I'm happy to come back to a team I know very well and which I admire for the great way it's organized," said Devenyns of the team he rode for between 2009 and 2013.

"I can't wait to pull on the new jersey and show how committed I am. Before that, I want to do good in my last races of 2016. I've spent two years with IAM Cycling and I would like to thank everybody for their help and our time together. Now the moment has come to return home."

Devenyns won his first race of the season at the GP Marseillaise and has continued his good season with overall wins at the Baloise Belgium Tour and Tour de Wallonie, and most most recently tenth at Clasica Ciclista San Sebastian. Prior to the 2016 season, Devenyns had taken just one win in the pro ranks back in 2009 at the Tour of Austria on stage 5. A lowlight for Devenyns in 2016 was missing the Tour de France due to illness but he quickly bounced back with his Tour de Wallonie victory.

Etixx-Quick Step CEO Patrick Lefevere expressed his delight with re-capturing the signature of Devenyns and secure his services for the 2017 season and expects him to be key rider for the team.

"In the last couple of years, after Dries took a different road in his career, we stayed in contact. He wanted to try his own path, but the mutual respect was always there and you can see this today, as we welcome him back," Lefevere said. "We know what he can do and bring to our squad, he showcased that again in the past months, and he'll be an important rider to rely on next season."

Devenyns joins Klein Constantia trio Remi Cavagna, Max Schachmann and Enric Mas in signing for Etixx from 2017 with further transfer announcements expected across the coming months.