Adam Yates has signed a two-year contract with Team Ineos through 2021; the British climber, who finished fourth in the 2016 Tour de France and won the white jersey, is leaving Mitchelton Scott, where he has been for seven years.

Yates has been rumored to be linked to Team Ineos for several weeks. Mitchelton Scott wanted to keep the 28-year-old Yates, and the Australian team could offer greater stability after months of turbulence, but ultimately Ineos won the race for Yates.

The news was confirmed 48 hours after Simon Yates announced he would extend his contract with Mitchelton Scott for another two years, marking the first time the two brothers will race for rival teams since they both turned professional in 2014.

"I am very excited about the prospect of racing for a British team. In my career I have seen the rise of cycling in the UK and I think it has been spurred on by the success of the British riders and this team," Yates said.

"It's an exciting opportunity and I feel the time is right. Our results in the weekday and one-day races have been very solid, but we want to bring that consistency to the Grand Tour race at Ineos Grenadiers and see how it goes."

Yates added, "I am very excited to be part of this team.

The deal comes just weeks after it was announced that Chris Froome would be leaving Team Ineos to join Israel Startup Nation in 2021. Meanwhile, Adam Yates will be racing for Mitchelton-Scott in this year's Tour de France, hoping for a stage win.

Few predicted the move earlier this year. In the past few years, Yates has seen stagnation and regression in the Grand Tours, but has been given leading roles in races such as the Tour de France.

The move to Team Ineos gives his career new life, but also raises the question of where the 28-year-old fits in: after signing with Orica-GreenEdge in 2014, Adam Yates told Cycling Weekly, "If I go to Sky, I'll be a slave to the front. I'd be working up front like a slave.

Few would doubt his qualities as a climber, but with Pavel Sivakov, Egan Bernal, and Richard Kalapas seen as the future of the team, and Geraint Thomas staying with the team for one more season, Yates is a good bet for Mitchell Yates will not fit easily into a Grand Tour role as he tasted with Ton Scott.

That may take some pressure off his shoulders and allow him to express himself in shorter races. At the same time, Team Ineos has shown that it will disregard reputation and experience when creating its Grand Tour roster.

He would undoubtedly recognize the cultural differences between Ineos and Mitchelton Scott. The UK team will demand greater structure, including more frequent training camps and time at altitude. This will push Yates out of his comfort zone, but the 28-year-old is entering the prime of his career.

Yates' main results

4th in Tour de France GC, 2016 white jersey San Sebastian 2015 UAE Tour 2020 Tour of Croatia 2019 Tour of Turkey 2014 [27] [27