Diego Ulissi has signed a two-year contract extension with UAE team Emirates. The Italian has spent his entire professional career with Lampre since joining the team as a Lampre in 2010.

While the suspension from competition due to the coronavirus outbreak has raised questions about the sustainability of several teams, UAE Team Emirates has made a number of notable promises about its long-term future in recent weeks.

Last week, the team announced that Tadey Pogacar has extended his contract until the end of 2024 and also signed 17-year-old Spanish junior champion Juan Ayuso to a five-year deal.

Ulissi had a solid 2019 campaign, winning the Tour of Slovenia, finishing second in the GP de Montréal, and third in both La Flèche Wallonne and the Tour de Pollogne In 2020, he finished second overall in the Tour Down Under and the UAE Tour He started the year ranked 9th, but the COVID-19 epidemic interrupted his season.

"I am very happy with this contract renewal," he said. 'I've been a part of this team for many years now and it's become a second family to me. [I look forward to continuing to work with him on UAE Team Emirates projects over the next few years and giving 100 percent as always. The results of the last few years confirm this. I want to say thank you to Mauro Gianetti and Matosin for always believing in me, and to all the staff who make sure I always give my best."

The 30-year-old Ulissi, a two-time world champion as a junior, has won six Giro d'Italia stages since his career was interrupted by a nine-month suspension for testing positive for salbutamol in the 2014 race.In 2013, Milan-Torino and the Giro delle Miglia, as well as the Grand Prix of Montreal in 2017.

"Diego is a very important factor for the team," said Mauro Gianetti, manager of UAE Team Emirates.

"He has shown great consistency, has performed at the highest level and has proven to be very reliable in that regard. On the bike and off the bike, he has proven to be a good leader, which is important for the team environment and the growth of the group as a whole.