Rising Canadian star Michael Leonard linked with three-year deal at Ineos Grenadiers

VeloNews has learned that Canadian starlet Michael Leonard is on the cusp of signing a three-year deal with Ineos Grenadiers.

The 18-year-old is currently racing for the Team Franco Ballerini in Italy where he has scored a number of impressive results.

Leonard won the Trofeo Madonna del Cavatore in early August as well as the Gran Premio Bermac Gara in May. The youngster has picked up two more one-day wins in April. He has been one of the standout performers in the junior ranks in Italy this season.

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Ineos Grenadiers has made a number of key signings for the future in the last few months as they reshape the team for the coming season. Richard Carapaz and Dylan van Baarle have both left for pastures new while the British team has welcomed a number of promising young riders to its ranks.

Leo Hayter and Joshua Tarling, who are 21 and 18 respectively, were both announced as Ineos Grenadiers riders at the start of August, while the previous winter saw Luke Plapp, Magnus Sheffield, Ben Turner, and Ben Tulett all join on long-term deals. Meanwhile, Tom Pidcock saw his contract extended with his own five-year contract extension.

Along with Carapaz and Van Baarle, Richie Porte is set to retire at the end of the season.

Adam Yates’s future is still unclear. The British rider signed on a two-year deal at the start of 2021 and was hoping to secure a contract extension at the end of this season.

VeloNews understands that Yates was offered a new deal but it fell below his expectations. The British climber has been linked with several teams including BnB and a return to his former squad BikeExchange.