It will be the first time in the careers of Adam and Simon Yates that they will line up for rival teams.
After six years of racing together at Australian-owned Mitchelton-Scott, Adam broke up the Yates tandem after a pitch from Dave Brailsford convinced him to make the move to Ineos.
In an interview with Cyclingnews, Yates said the chance at trying something new and Brailsford’s vision for Ineos made joining the British based team an easy call.
“It’s just a new challenge really, I spoke to Dave Brailsford. He was telling me about the vision. It was pretty ambitious. He spoke to me and that was it, a pretty straightforward decision,” Adam Yates said.
Yates joins a star-studded Ineos team that includes Egan Bernal, Tao Geoghegan Hart, Geraint Thomas and Aussie Richie Porte.
While he will have bolstered support from his superstar teammates, Yates will not have the same opportunities he had at Mitchelton-Scott where he only had to split his Grand Tour aspirations with his brother.
Yates said he was not concerned about the possibility of a reduced role at his new team
“As long as the team wins that’s all that matters at the end of the day. At Mitchelton I had a really good time, all the guys were really nice, all the staff were really nice and it was a big family. I enjoyed racing there but I don’t see why it’s different when I come here.
"I spoke with Dave quite a bit and he was really excited for me to join the team. They have their ideas and I have mine and we’ll come together and try to win bike races. It’s exciting. I was in the same team for seven years so it’s good to change and here we are.”
The big question on the lips of cycling fans this season will be when Adam and Simon Yates face off for the first time.
Simon is expected to take on the Giro d’Italia or Tour de France, while Adam has his eyes set on the General Classification at the Vuelta A Espana.
Adam Yates said he is looking forward to racing against his twin but admitted it will 'be funny’ when they finally go head to head.
“If he starts attacking I’ll just laugh at him, but it is what it is,” he said.
“We’re both professionals and we both want to win.
“It’s not like it’s going to cause any issues. May the best man win.”
