Mike O'Connor
Australian team Jayco AlUla has secured two Olympic gold medallists for 2027, with sprinter Sam Welsford returning to an Australian outfit and track star Oliver Bleddyn stepping up to the WorldTour on two-year contracts.
The signings reunite the pair with fellow Paris 2024 team pursuit gold medallist Kelland O’Brien, adding further Australian talent to the GreenEDGE Cycling roster.
Welsford, 30, joins from INEOS after five seasons racing at WorldTour level. The Perth sprinter has 13 professional victories, including seven stage wins at the Tour Down Under.
He claimed three stages at the Australian race in both 2024 and 2025, before adding another victory in 2026. His other major results include stage wins at the 2023 Vuelta a San Juan and Renewi Tour, as well as the 2024 Tour de Hongrie.
Welsford said the move felt like the right time to return to an Australian team.
“After five years racing at the highest level, it feels like the right time to come home and be part of an Australian team with such a strong history in the sport,” he said.
“I’m looking forward to bringing my experience, continuing to develop and, most importantly, racing for something that feels very close to home.”
He will join fellow fast finisher Pascal Ackermann, giving Jayco AlUla additional options for bunch sprints as it builds towards the 2027 and 2028 seasons.
Bleddyn, meanwhile, will make the transition from track specialist to full-time WorldTour rider after signing his first professional contract.
The 24-year-old has spent the past two months as a stagiaire with Jayco AlUla, giving the team an opportunity to assess his potential on the road.
Bleddyn was part of Australia’s gold medal-winning team pursuit squad at the Paris Olympics, alongside Welsford and O’Brien. The team set a world record on its way to the title.
He added Commonwealth Games gold in the individual pursuit in Glasgow earlier this year, continuing an impressive track career while building his road racing credentials.
Bleddyn claimed silver in the Australian time trial championships at the start of 2026 before winning the ProVelo Super League overall title in March.
The team believes his combination of power, speed and time trial ability will make him a valuable addition across a range of races and team roles.
“Growing up as an Australian watching the team, naturally it was always a team I wanted to be a part of,” Bleddyn said.
“Seeing the culture that’s been built over the years makes the opportunity to now be part of that really special.”
He also has his sights set on the Tour Down Under.
“To race at home with this team is an opportunity I’d be really excited about.”
Jayco AlUla head of performance Gene Bates said Bleddyn’s track background had given him a strong physical foundation for road racing.
“Oliver has a big track background and was part of the Australian gold medal-winning team at the Paris Olympics in the team pursuit, setting a new world record along the way, so he’s got a huge engine,” Bates said.
The moves come after Australian road and track star Georgia Baker confirmed she would leave Jayco AlUla to join Canyon-SRAM after six seasons.
Mike O’Connor – A keen cyclist, runner and photographer, Mike O’Connor is the Editor of Bicycling Australia. He manages the BA website and social media, and loves promoting the achievements of Australian cyclists.
