Aru, 30, has a stellar palmares having finished second and third at the Giro d’Italia, in 2015 and 2014 respectively, and fifth at the Tour de France in 2017.

The Italian is a multiple Grand Tour stage-winner including stage five of the Tour de France in 2017, back-to-back Giro d’Italia stage wins in 2015 as well as doubling up at the Vuelta a Espana in 2014. He took his debut Grand Tour stage victory at the Giro d’Italia in 2014.

He announced himself onto the international scene in some style in 2012, then as a stagiaire with Astana, by taking an impressive second place finish on stage six of the USA Pro Cycling Challenge. The Sardinian spent six seasons with Astana during which time he returned some very impressive results including a stage win at the Criterium du Dauphine in 2016.

The 2017 Italian champion joined UAE-Team Emirates the following year which is where he joined Team Qhubeka ASSOS from, and during which time he took to the start line of his 13th career Grand Tour.

Aru’s arrival follows on from Simon Clarke, Sean Bennett, Dimitri Claeys, Kilian Frankiny, Łukasz Wiśniowski, Karel Vacek, Emil Vinjebo, Connor Brown and Harry Tanfield.