The worst kept secret in the cycling transfer market has been confirmed as Richie Porte leaves BMC Racing to join Trek-Segafredo on a two year deal.
The Australian's move to Trek has been common knowledge for the past few months but details of the move have only now been confirmed by the American WorldTour team. Porte's deal will see him through to the end of the 2020 season.
The 33-year-old will join Trek-Segafredo with the purpose of leading the team at Grand Tours, specifically the Tour de France, a race that Porte has struggled to experience good luck at in previous years.
Porte has crashed out of the previous two editions preventing him from launching a concerted effort for yellow. Last month, Porte only managed to survive the opening kilometres of Stage 9 before crashing and breaking his shoulder.
The former Paris-Nice winner will now be hoping that this change of scenery will break any Tour hoodoo that remains and allow him to fulfil his Grand Tour potential.
'I am thrilled to finally confirm that I will join Trek-Segafredo in 2019,' Porte said. 'I had a great time at BMC Racing, and I want to thank them for the past three years, but I feel ready to take on another challenge, which I am certain I will find at Trek-Segafredo.
'I am particularly looking forward to focusing on more races throughout the year. Of course, the Tour de France will still be a huge goal for me, and I am excited to go there to race with a super strong team alongside me, but I will also aim for one-week stage races, like the ones I have won before, and the ones I have never raced.
'Honestly, I am really excited to start this new chapter in my career.'
Porte's departure also signifies a new chapter for BMC Racing who, as of 2019, will be known as CCC. The Swiss bike brand will be departing as primary sponsor with Polish shoe company and ProContinental team sponsor CCC stepping up into its WorldTour slot.
The team is currently in the process of signing riders from both BMC and elsewhere, with the aim of a team built around Greg Van Avermaet and his Spring Classics ambitions.
That being said, team director Piotr Wadecki confirmed that CCC has offered recent Tour de France champion, Geraint Thomas, a contract away from Team Sky.
Porte looks set to end his time with BMC Racing on a high as sets out to win the Vuelta a Espana that begins this Saturday.